Public Safety Telecommunicators
Operate telephone, radio, or other communication systems to receive and communicate requests for emergency assistance at 9-1-1 public safety answering points and emergency operations centers. Take information from the public and other sources regarding crimes, threats, disturbances, acts of terrorism, fires, medical emergencies, and other public safety matters. May coordinate and provide information to law enforcement and emergency response personnel. May access sensitive databases and other information sources as needed. May provide additional instructions to callers based on knowledge of and certification in law enforcement, fire, or emergency medical procedures.
- O*NET-SOC code
43-5031.00 - Preparation Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Wages
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $37,320 | $45,210 | $53,040 | $64,260 | $79,830 |
By state (51)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2,230 | $38,960 | 1.60 |
| Alaska | 390 | $66,660 | 1.82 |
| Arizona | 1,790 | $56,600 | 0.84 |
| Arkansas | 1,460 | $38,240 | 1.70 |
| California | 8,520 | $80,120 | 0.71 |
| Colorado | 1,800 | $63,520 | 0.95 |
| Connecticut | 1,820 | $62,410 | 1.63 |
| Delaware | 260 | $53,140 | 0.80 |
| District of Columbia | 60 | $59,080 | 0.14 |
| Florida | 6,090 | $50,170 | 0.93 |
| Georgia | 3,480 | $42,790 | 1.08 |
| Hawaii | 170 | $57,020 | 0.42 |
| Idaho | 580 | $51,780 | 1.02 |
| Illinois | 4,350 | $61,260 | 1.08 |
| Indiana | 2,150 | $49,050 | 1.02 |
| Iowa | 980 | $56,770 | 0.95 |
| Kansas | 1,370 | $45,110 | 1.45 |
| Kentucky | 1,350 | $45,670 | 1.02 |
| Louisiana | 1,470 | $38,550 | 1.16 |
| Maine | 730 | $57,250 | 1.72 |
| Maryland | 1,610 | $58,910 | 0.89 |
| Massachusetts | 2,790 | $61,720 | 1.17 |
| Michigan | 2,100 | $53,310 | 0.72 |
| Minnesota | 1,460 | $66,550 | 0.75 |
| Mississippi | 1,430 | $34,510 | 1.87 |
| Missouri | 2,750 | $46,990 | 1.42 |
| Montana | 560 | $47,640 | 1.67 |
| Nebraska | 750 | $50,270 | 1.11 |
| Nevada | 1,010 | $60,040 | 0.99 |
| New Hampshire | 560 | $58,240 | 1.23 |
| New Jersey | 4,010 | $59,240 | 1.42 |
| New Mexico | 640 | $49,060 | 1.11 |
| New York | 5,470 | $61,450 | 0.86 |
| North Carolina | 3,730 | $46,550 | 1.15 |
| North Dakota | 270 | $59,940 | 0.97 |
| Ohio | 4,550 | $58,100 | 1.24 |
| Oklahoma | 1,930 | $39,890 | 1.71 |
| Oregon | 1,110 | $71,980 | 0.85 |
| Pennsylvania | 3,620 | $49,890 | 0.91 |
| Rhode Island | 370 | $58,310 | 1.12 |
| South Carolina | 1,490 | $43,540 | 0.98 |
| South Dakota | 420 | $47,900 | 1.39 |
| Tennessee | 1,840 | $46,390 | 0.85 |
| Texas | 7,730 | $50,040 | 0.83 |
| Utah | 880 | $54,120 | 0.77 |
| Vermont | 280 | $59,470 | 1.41 |
| Virginia | 3,050 | $50,490 | 1.13 |
| Washington | 1,980 | $78,850 | 0.84 |
| West Virginia | 880 | $40,490 | 1.90 |
| Wisconsin | 1,820 | $60,000 | 0.94 |
| Wyoming | 350 | $50,600 | 1.89 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detectives and Criminal Investigators | 3 | 0.939 |
| 2 | Private Detectives and Investigators | 3 | 0.938 |
| 3 | First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers | 1-2 | 0.937 |
| 4 | Residential Advisors | 3 | 0.936 |
| 5 | Customs and Border Protection Officers | 3 | 0.934 |
| 6 | Security Managers | 4 | 0.934 |
| 7 | Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks | 1-2 | 0.932 |
| 8 | Retail Loss Prevention Specialists | 1-2 | 0.931 |
| 9 | Animal Control Workers | 1-2 | 0.931 |
| 10 | First-Line Supervisors of Passenger Attendants | 3 | 0.931 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Public Safety Telecommunicators, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers | Management of Personnel Resources | 1.13 | 0.937 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Public Safety Telecommunicators, excluding software Public Safety Telecommunicators already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Crime mapping software | 4 of 20 | 46.2x |
| Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System IAFIS | 4 of 20 | 30.8x |
| Computer aided composite drawing software | 3 of 20 | 34.6x |
| DesignWare 3D EyeWitness | 3 of 20 | 27.7x |
| National Integrated Ballistics Information Network NIBIN | 3 of 20 | 27.7x |
| SmartDraw Legal | 3 of 20 | 27.7x |
| The CAD Zone The Crime Zone | 3 of 20 | 27.7x |
| Microsoft Windows | 10 of 20 | 1.9x |
| Scheduling software | 5 of 20 | 3.3x |
| Graphics software | 4 of 20 | 3.6x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 4.38 | 4.00 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 4.12 | 4.00 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 3.75 | 3.38 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 3.38 | 3.12 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.25 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.62 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.12 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 2.25 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.62 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.12 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.00 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.00 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.00 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 0.75 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.62 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.75 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.62 |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.38 | 0.38 |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Public Safety and Security | 4.93 | 4.33 |
| Law and Government | 4.55 | 4.18 |
| English Language | 4.48 | 4.82 |
| Telecommunications | 4.45 | 4.11 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 4.40 | 6.42 |
| Geography | 4.25 | 3.59 |
| Communications and Media | 4.17 | 4.33 |
| Computers and Electronics | 4.03 | 4.70 |
| Administrative | 3.85 | 4.80 |
| Education and Training | 3.52 | 3.88 |
| Psychology | 3.37 | 4.68 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 3.26 | 3.63 |
| Therapy and Counseling | 3.21 | 3.92 |
| Administration and Management | 3.12 | 2.73 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 2.65 | 2.60 |
| Production and Processing | 2.61 | 1.91 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 2.44 | 1.87 |
| Transportation | 2.38 | 2.33 |
| Philosophy and Theology | 2.19 | 2.10 |
| Foreign Language | 2.01 | 1.38 |
| Mathematics | 1.86 | 1.54 |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.81 | 1.39 |
| Mechanical | 1.71 | 1.15 |
| Chemistry | 1.61 | not rated |
| Design | 1.50 | 0.73 |
| History and Archeology | 1.46 | not rated |
| Engineering and Technology | 1.46 | 0.80 |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.42 | not rated |
| Physics | 1.31 | not rated |
| Building and Construction | 1.27 | not rated |
| Biology | 1.20 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.01 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.00 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Oral Expression | 4.38 | 4.00 |
| Oral Comprehension | 4.25 | 4.00 |
| Speech Clarity | 4.12 | 4.00 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.88 | 4.62 |
| Selective Attention | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Information Ordering | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.75 | 3.00 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.50 | 3.00 |
| Near Vision | 3.25 | 3.88 |
| Time Sharing | 3.25 | 3.62 |
| Written Expression | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Auditory Attention | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.00 | 3.50 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Speed of Closure | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Memorization | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Originality | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.75 | 2.12 |
| Far Vision | 2.62 | 2.88 |
| Finger Dexterity | 2.50 | 2.38 |
| Reaction Time | 2.50 | 1.88 |
| Visualization | 2.25 | 2.88 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 2.25 | 2.38 |
| Manual Dexterity | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Control Precision | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Response Orientation | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Trunk Strength | 2.12 | 1.38 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Number Facility | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Depth Perception | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 2.00 | 1.50 |
| Extent Flexibility | 1.88 | 1.12 |
| Static Strength | 1.62 | 0.62 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 1.50 | 0.50 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 1.50 | 0.50 |
| Stamina | 1.50 | 0.50 |
| Dynamic Strength | 1.38 | 0.50 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.38 | 0.38 |
| Rate Control | 1.38 | 0.38 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.38 | 0.38 |
| Spatial Orientation | 1.25 | not rated |
| Glare Sensitivity | 1.12 | not rated |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.00 | not rated |
| Night Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Peripheral Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Sound Localization | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Microsoft Excel in demand
- Microsoft Office software in demand
- Microsoft Access hot
- Microsoft Outlook hot
- Microsoft PowerPoint hot
- Microsoft SharePoint hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- SAP software hot
- 911 system information databases
- Computer aided dispatch software
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Geographic information system GIS systems
- Intrado SchoolMessenger
- Law enforcement information databases
- National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database
- National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System NLETS
- Spillman Technologies Spillman Computer-Aided Dispatch
- Web browser software
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston, NY | 100 | 2.57 | $58,590 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | 110 | 2.40 | $52,810 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 170 | 2.34 | $44,070 |
| Merced, CA | 120 | 2.21 | $64,570 |
| Worcester, MA | 510 | 2.19 | $58,850 |
| Vallejo, CA | 200 | 2.11 | $87,250 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | 130 | 2.10 | $65,300 |
| Mobile, AL | 230 | 2.05 | $40,220 |
| Warner Robins, GA | 100 | 2.02 | $48,600 |
| Jackson, TN | 110 | 1.97 | $44,450 |