Public Safety Telecommunicators
Also called: Communications Officer, Communications Operator, Public Safety Dispatcher, TelecommunicatorOperate 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.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 12 of its 18 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 3.7% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 2.3% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 4.3 hires for every 10 job openings in government, which employs about 85% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.4.3 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $38,960 | $34,340 to $47,390 | 2,230 |
| Alaska | $66,660 | $57,900 to $83,530 | 390 |
| Arizona | $56,600 | $49,520 to $62,220 | 1,790 |
| Arkansas | $38,240 | $34,580 to $42,970 | 1,460 |
| California | $80,120 | $64,250 to $96,660 | 8,520 |
| Colorado | $63,520 | $57,710 to $75,790 | 1,800 |
| Connecticut | $62,410 | $57,700 to $72,360 | 1,820 |
| Delaware | $53,140 | $48,700 to $66,850 | 260 |
| District of Columbia | $59,080 | $50,650 to $64,940 | 60 |
| Florida | $50,170 | $44,990 to $61,270 | 6,090 |
| Georgia | $42,790 | $37,290 to $49,670 | 3,480 |
| Hawaii | $57,020 | $52,070 to $65,380 | 170 |
| Idaho | $51,780 | $48,090 to $62,920 | 580 |
| Illinois | $61,260 | $48,620 to $80,470 | 4,350 |
| Indiana | $49,050 | $44,400 to $58,610 | 2,150 |
| Iowa | $56,770 | $50,620 to $63,260 | 980 |
| Kansas | $45,110 | $37,450 to $48,540 | 1,370 |
| Kentucky | $45,670 | $35,770 to $54,390 | 1,350 |
| Louisiana | $38,550 | $31,680 to $48,660 | 1,470 |
| Maine | $57,250 | $48,400 to $63,280 | 730 |
| Maryland | $58,910 | $50,190 to $66,630 | 1,610 |
| Massachusetts | $61,720 | $52,510 to $68,090 | 2,790 |
| Michigan | $53,310 | $46,730 to $63,110 | 2,100 |
| Minnesota | $66,550 | $62,730 to $77,960 | 1,460 |
| Mississippi | $34,510 | $30,300 to $38,730 | 1,430 |
| Missouri | $46,990 | $39,190 to $56,250 | 2,750 |
| Montana | $47,640 | $43,860 to $56,870 | 560 |
| Nebraska | $50,270 | $47,160 to $60,660 | 750 |
| Nevada | $60,040 | $45,170 to $71,900 | 1,010 |
| New Hampshire | $58,240 | $50,630 to $62,680 | 560 |
| New Jersey | $59,240 | $49,230 to $70,920 | 4,010 |
| New Mexico | $49,060 | $39,970 to $57,810 | 640 |
| New York | $61,450 | $49,710 to $66,960 | 5,470 |
| North Carolina | $46,550 | $40,540 to $49,930 | 3,730 |
| North Dakota | $59,940 | $49,670 to $61,250 | 270 |
| Ohio | $58,100 | $47,430 to $63,320 | 4,550 |
| Oklahoma | $39,890 | $35,060 to $47,620 | 1,930 |
| Oregon | $71,980 | $61,140 to $83,390 | 1,110 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,890 | $45,090 to $60,320 | 3,620 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,620 | $24,420 to $27,530 | 120 |
| Rhode Island | $58,310 | $52,520 to $63,160 | 370 |
| South Carolina | $43,540 | $37,590 to $48,780 | 1,490 |
| South Dakota | $47,900 | $41,570 to $54,290 | 420 |
| Tennessee | $46,390 | $39,480 to $57,920 | 1,840 |
| Texas | $50,040 | $44,640 to $60,200 | 7,730 |
| Utah | $54,120 | $50,520 to $63,730 | 880 |
| Vermont | $59,470 | $49,880 to $64,860 | 280 |
| Virginia | $50,490 | $44,220 to $60,690 | 3,050 |
| Washington | $78,850 | $66,500 to $84,640 | 1,980 |
| West Virginia | $40,490 | $36,790 to $47,650 | 880 |
| Wisconsin | $60,000 | $51,360 to $63,910 | 1,820 |
| Wyoming | $50,600 | $48,690 to $58,660 | 350 |
Nationally: $53,040. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 12 of its 18 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI alone | Question callers to determine their locations and the nature of their problems to determine type of response needed. | Not published |
| AI + software | Determine response requirements and relative priorities of situations, and dispatch units in accordance with established procedures. | Not published |
| AI alone | Receive incoming telephone or alarm system calls regarding emergency and non-emergency police and fire service, emergency ambulance service, information, and after-hours calls for departments within a city. | Not published |
| AI + software | Relay information and messages to and from emergency sites, to law enforcement agencies, and to all other individuals or groups requiring notification. | Not published |
| AI alone | Record details of calls, dispatches, and messages. | Not published |
| Not much | Read and effectively interpret small-scale maps and information from a computer screen to determine locations and provide directions. | Not published |
See all 18 tasks
| AI + software | Enter, update, and retrieve information from teletype networks and computerized data systems regarding such things as wanted persons, stolen property, vehicle registration, and stolen vehicles. | Not published |
| AI alone | Answer routine inquiries, and refer calls not requiring dispatches to appropriate departments and agencies. | Not published |
| AI + software | Learn material and pass required tests for certification. | Not published |
| AI alone | Monitor various radio frequencies, such as those used by public works departments, school security, and civil defense, to stay apprised of developing situations. | Not published |
| AI + software | Maintain access to, and security of, highly sensitive materials. | Not published |
| AI alone | Scan status charts and computer screens, and contact emergency response field units to determine emergency units available for dispatch. | Not published |
| Not much | Provide emergency medical instructions to callers. | Not published |
| AI alone | Maintain files of information relating to emergency calls, such as personnel rosters and emergency call-out and pager files. | Not published |
| Not much | Observe alarm registers and scan maps to determine whether a specific emergency is in the dispatch service area. | Not published |
| Not much | Test and adjust communication and alarm systems, and report malfunctions to maintenance units. | Not published |
| Not much | Monitor alarm systems to detect emergencies, such as fires and illegal entry into establishments. | Not published |
| Not much | Operate and maintain mobile dispatch vehicles and equipment. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 0 of the 18 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 18 tasks fall under 18 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #1 Gather information from physical or electronic sources
- #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
- #7 Explain technical details of products or services
- and 4 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provide information to guests, clients, or customers | |||
| Communicate with others about operational plans or activities | |||
| Operate communications equipment or systems | |||
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Monitor safety or security of work areas, facilities, or properties | |||
| Gather information from physical or electronic sources | |||
| Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise | |||
| Explain technical details of products or services |
Show all 18 activities
| Read documents or materials to inform work processes | |||
| Assist others to access additional services or resources | |||
| Process digital or online data | |||
| Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Maintain safety or security | |||
| Notify others of emergencies or problems | |||
| Administer basic health care or medical treatments | |||
| Monitor equipment operation | |||
| Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures | |||
| Operate transportation equipment or vehicles |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- An analysis or summary23%
- Advice or a recommendation20%
- An explanation or answer17%
- A document or report9%
- A machine-learning or AI system9%
How they worked with Claude
54% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for public safety telecommunicators specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 23,953 moves out
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 7%
- 2 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 3%
- 3 Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
- 4 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Very high -6.0% 3%
- 5 Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance Very high -0.7% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 20,690 moves in
- 1 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 5%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 3 Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 4 Medical Assistants Moderate +12.9% 3%
- 5 Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance Very high -0.7% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 63% high school
- 11% postsecondary certificate
- 10% associate's
- 5% bachelor's
- 11% not published
O*NET marks 11% of the answers as too uncertain to publish, so the parts shown don't add up to 100%.
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 26 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 1% less than high school
- 28% high school
- 33% some college
- 17% associate's
- 18% bachelor's
- 2% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 967 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
58.4% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | 31.7% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 28.9% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | 9.2% | 2.8% |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 3 registered apprenticeships in this occupation (ALARM OPERATOR (Gov Serv); Alarm Operator (Gov Serv); TELECOMMUNICATOR). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Public Safety Telecommunicators” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/43-5031.00