Sources: Kentucky Personnel Cabinet, Kentucky Classified and Unclassified 37.5 and 40-Hour Salary Schedule (effective September 16, 2026) and Job Class Specifications; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Kentucky state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective September 16, 2026. These are the ranges Kentucky sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Public Safety Telecommunicator I Class 20000687 · class description Grade 10 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $2,508.68 a month $30,104 a year |
Grade 10 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $2,675.92 a month $32,111 a year |
Grade 10 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $3,209.70 a month $38,516 a year |
Grade 10 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 40-Hour Work Week | $3,423.68 a month $41,084 a year |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator II Class 20000688 · class description Grade 12 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $3,035.50 a month $36,426 a year |
Grade 12 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $3,237.88 a month $38,855 a year |
Grade 12 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $3,883.92 a month $46,607 a year |
Grade 12 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 40-Hour Work Week | $4,142.84 a month $49,714 a year |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator III Class 21003601 · class description Grade 13 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $3,339.22 a month $40,071 a year |
Grade 13 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $3,561.84 a month $42,742 a year |
Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).
Source: Kentucky Personnel Cabinet, Kentucky Classified and Unclassified 37.5 and 40-Hour Salary Schedule (effective September 16, 2026) and Job Class Specifications. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in Kentucky, all employers Sourced
Public Safety Telecommunicators (SOC 43-5031) in Kentucky, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | KY |
|---|---|
| Workers | 1,350 |
| 10th percentile | $29,770 |
| Median | $45,670 |
| 90th percentile | $59,060 |
| National median, government employers | $54,440 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for Kentucky
APCO Public Safety Telecommunicator 1 (PST1)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep- CritiCall Public Safety Dispatcher Pre-Employment TestPractice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- IAED Emergency Fire Dispatcher (EFD) CertificationEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- IAED Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- IAED Emergency Police Dispatcher (EPD) CertificationEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- IAED Emergency Telecommunicator Course (ETC) CertificationEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NENA Emergency Number Professional (ENP) CertificationEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NTN ECOMM Emergency Communications Operator Exam (911 Dispatcher)Practice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national 911 Dispatcher / Public Safety Telecommunicator page.