Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,030 | $17.32 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $50,340 | $24.20 |
| Mean (average) | $54,740 | $26.32 |
| 90th percentile | $78,140 | $37.57 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $48,790 | $34,490 | $72,740 | 1,780 | 0.64 |
| Alaska | $56,730 | $39,530 | $96,920 | 570 | 1.33 |
| Arizona | $47,880 | $37,450 | $68,900 | 5,690 | 1.35 |
| Arkansas | $47,130 | $30,020 | $65,160 | 1,780 | 1.05 |
| California | $52,350 | $39,520 | $81,070 | 23,970 | 1.01 |
| Colorado | $54,070 | $40,430 | $79,420 | 3,470 | 0.93 |
| Connecticut | $47,960 | $41,600 | $80,370 | 2,220 | 1.01 |
| Delaware | $57,170 | $37,710 | $68,640 | 670 | 1.05 |
| District of Columbia | $72,260 | $45,000 | $99,870 | 300 | 0.33 |
| Florida | $45,880 | $35,350 | $69,490 | 12,550 | 0.97 |
| Georgia | $49,180 | $32,770 | $74,700 | 6,190 | 0.97 |
| Guam | $39,630 | $24,960 | $66,260 | 130 | 1.54 |
| Hawaii | $52,570 | $37,760 | $88,250 | 950 | 1.17 |
| Idaho | $49,660 | $30,630 | $78,630 | 1,430 | 1.28 |
| Illinois | $57,240 | $37,380 | $83,600 | ||
| Indiana | $50,060 | $35,740 | $74,960 | 4,090 | 0.98 |
| Iowa | $47,000 | $36,960 | $75,280 | 1,460 | 0.72 |
| Kansas | $47,170 | $32,400 | $72,480 | 1,670 | 0.89 |
| Kentucky | $49,990 | $34,880 | $77,330 | 2,440 | 0.93 |
| Louisiana | $47,050 | $32,350 | $73,820 | 2,980 | 1.18 |
| Maine | $55,150 | $39,530 | $81,700 | 670 | 0.8 |
| Maryland | $51,350 | $36,740 | $80,320 | 3,310 | 0.92 |
| Massachusetts | $55,690 | $42,460 | $84,150 | 3,510 | 0.74 |
| Michigan | $49,490 | $34,880 | $80,650 | 5,390 | 0.94 |
| Minnesota | $59,220 | $39,420 | $82,360 | 2,760 | 0.72 |
| Mississippi | $45,660 | $28,620 | $71,930 | 2,000 | 1.32 |
| Missouri | $51,410 | $36,720 | $101,750 | 4,340 | 1.13 |
| Montana | $47,140 | $36,230 | $67,440 | 810 | 1.22 |
| Nebraska | $53,880 | $38,790 | $95,260 | 1,500 | 1.12 |
| Nevada | $47,920 | $34,860 | $77,600 | 2,840 | 1.4 |
| New Hampshire | $52,770 | $37,440 | $74,280 | 710 | 0.8 |
| New Jersey | $54,590 | $39,730 | $79,890 | 6,420 | 1.15 |
| New Mexico | $43,960 | $31,740 | $70,720 | 1,350 | 1.19 |
| New York | $55,810 | $36,720 | $105,780 | 11,160 | 0.88 |
| North Carolina | $48,230 | $35,930 | $71,010 | 5,740 | 0.89 |
| North Dakota | $57,580 | $38,560 | $82,030 | 600 | 1.08 |
| Ohio | $50,320 | $35,540 | $76,430 | 5,720 | 0.79 |
| Oklahoma | $44,950 | $31,170 | $71,760 | 2,180 | 0.98 |
| Oregon | $54,980 | $40,630 | $77,470 | 3,290 | 1.28 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,960 | $36,090 | $76,180 | 6,670 | 0.84 |
| Puerto Rico | $24,750 | $22,020 | $32,350 | 740 | 0.6 |
| Rhode Island | $49,320 | $37,070 | $83,390 | 530 | 0.81 |
| South Carolina | $47,550 | $32,110 | $74,070 | 2,440 | 0.81 |
| South Dakota | $43,920 | $30,510 | $55,900 | 860 | 1.44 |
| Tennessee | $49,660 | $34,850 | $69,420 | 4,190 | 0.98 |
| Texas | $47,320 | $32,130 | $74,760 | 23,920 | 1.3 |
| Utah | $51,010 | $36,550 | $74,870 | 2,040 | 0.9 |
| Vermont | $56,360 | $40,430 | $73,780 | 260 | 0.65 |
| Virgin Islands | $33,870 | $32,130 | $59,300 | 30 | 0.83 |
| Virginia | $50,710 | $38,370 | $71,910 | 5,830 | 1.09 |
| Washington | $59,330 | $44,050 | $88,000 | 4,920 | 1.06 |
| West Virginia | $46,620 | $28,600 | $71,970 | 880 | 0.97 |
| Wisconsin | $52,350 | $36,090 | $75,910 | 3,240 | 0.84 |
| Wyoming | $48,690 | $32,130 | $82,330 | 240 | 0.65 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 16,000. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1.1%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Schedule or dispatch workers, work crews, equipment, or service vehicles to appropriate locations, according to customer requests, specifications, or needs, using radios or telephones.
- Prepare daily work and run schedules.
- Confer with customers or supervising personnel to address questions, problems, or requests for service or equipment.
- Relay work orders, messages, or information to or from work crews, supervisors, or field inspectors, using telephones or two-way radios.
- Receive or prepare work orders.
- Record and maintain files or records of customer requests, work or services performed, charges, expenses, inventory, or other dispatch information.
- Arrange for necessary repairs to restore service and schedules.
- Monitor personnel or equipment locations and utilization to coordinate service and schedules.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft Word (in demand)
- Kronos Workforce Timekeeper (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- Air-Trak Cloudberry
- Bornemann Associates Flight Plan
- Command Alkon COMMANDconcrete
- Computer aided dispatch software
- Computer aided dispatching auto routing software
- Database software
- Digital Gateway e-automate
Transferable skills for career changers: Coordination, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Aircraft Dispatcher, Charter Coordinator, City Dispatcher, Dispatcher (Dispatch), Mine Dispatcher, Paratransit Dispatcher, School Bus Dispatcher, Taxi Dispatcher, Train Dispatcher, Truck Dispatcher.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance make?
The national median annual wage for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance was $50,340 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $36,030 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $78,140. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance a growing career?
BLS projects employment of dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance to change -0.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 16,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($72,260), Washington ($59,330), Minnesota ($59,220). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.