Public Safety Telecommunicators pay range in Knoxville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,730 a year or less, while the top 10% make $58,760 or more. The middle half of public safety telecommunicators in Knoxville earn between $35,750 and $47,320.
- $31K10th
- $36K25th
- $45KMedian
- $47K75th
- $59K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $43,980 | $3,665 | $21.14 |
| Median | $44,700 | $3,725 | $21.49 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $35,750 | $2,979 | $17.19 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $47,320 | $3,943 | $22.75 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Public Safety Telecommunicators pay in Knoxville vs. Tennessee and the U.S.
Public safety telecommunicators in Knoxville earn 9% less than the Tennessee average ($48,500) and 22% less than the U.S. average ($56,740). At the median the gap is -16% against the U.S. median of $53,040.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $43,980 | $44,700 | $30,730 | $58,760 | 190 |
| Tennessee | $48,500 | $46,390 | $33,840 | $66,180 | 1,840 |
| United States | $56,740 | $53,040 | $37,320 | $79,830 | 102,500 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Public Safety Telecommunicators salary after taxes in Knoxville
On the average salary of $43,980, a single filer in Knoxville takes home about $37,518 a year, or $3,126 a month and $1,443 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Knoxville a good place for public safety telecommunicators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Knoxville area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.6), so the average $43,980 buys what about $47,511 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Knoxville ($47,080). A typical home costs $367,158, or 8.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Public Safety Telecommunicators salary in other Tennessee cities
Knoxville ranks 7th of 10 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Memphis pays the most ($55,030).
- Memphis$55,030
- Nashville$54,140
- Jackson$47,340
- Clarksville$46,610
- Kingsport$44,440
- Morristown$44,090
- Knoxville$43,980
- Chattanooga$43,440
- Cleveland$41,750
- Johnson City$40,750
Highest-paying cities for public safety telecommunicators
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($116,260).
- San Jose, CA$116,260
- San Francisco, CA$102,130
- Santa Cruz, CA$88,570
- San Luis Obispo, CA$88,310
- Napa, CA$86,540
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Public Safety Telecommunicators salary in Knoxville: questions
How much do public safety telecommunicators make an hour in Knoxville?
$21.14 an hour on average, and $21.49 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level public safety telecommunicators salary in Knoxville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,730 a year and the 25th percentile is $35,750, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the public safety telecommunicators take-home pay in Knoxville?
About $37,518 a year ($3,126 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $43,980. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do public safety telecommunicators earn more in Knoxville than elsewhere?
The average here is 22% less than the U.S. average for this job ($56,740).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 43-5031; area Knoxville, TN (28940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.1%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.67, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.67).
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