What is a 911 Emergency Dispatcher?
The average 911 emergency dispatcher salary is $36,782. The most common degree is a high school diploma degree with an criminal justice major. It usually takes zero years of experience to become a 911 emergency dispatcher. 911 emergency dispatchers with a Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 5,500 job opportunities across the U.S.
What Does a 911 Emergency Dispatcher Do
There are certain skills that many 911 emergency dispatchers have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed ability to multitask, communication skills and empathy.
How To Become a 911 Emergency Dispatcher
If you're interested in becoming a 911 emergency dispatcher, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 26.7% of 911 emergency dispatchers have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 3.0% of 911 emergency dispatchers have master's degrees. Even though some 911 emergency dispatchers have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
911 Emergency Dispatcher Career Paths
In addition to switching up your job search, it might prove helpful to look at a career path for your specific job. Now, what's a career path you ask? Well, it's practically a map that shows how you might advance from one job title to another. Our career paths are especially detailed with salary changes. So, for example, if you started out with the role of emergency medical technician you might progress to a role such as technician eventually. Later on in your career, you could end up with the title office manager.
Average Salary for a 911 Emergency Dispatcher
What Am I Worth?
Roles and Types of 911 Emergency Dispatcher
There are several types of 911 emergency dispatcher, including:
Dispatcher
Role:
As a dispatcher, you'll most likely work in an emergency communication center called a public safety answering point. Since this is such an important position, you will be expected to be on-call to work evenings, weekends and even holidays. Also, don't be surprised if you have to work long 12-hour shifts occassionally. The people are depending on you!
- Average Salary: $35,328
- Degree: High School Diploma
Communications Officer
Role:
Most communications officers hold a bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, or a related field. However, most employers prefer two to five years of experience in a similar role. Candidates must possess interpersonal, time management, analytical, communication, computer, and organization skills. You must be familiar with content management systems and social media platforms. The annual salary ranges between $32,000 and $106,000, with an average of $58,184
- Average Salary: $40,161
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Telecommunication Operator
Role:
There are really no formal qualifications to become a telecommunications operator. Most employers, however, would prefer someone who has experience in the field. Many large companies and emergency services often provide on-the-job training. Bear in mind that his/her position demands outstanding oral communication skills and someone who must be able to work under pressure.
- Average Salary: $39,381
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
States With The Most 911 Emergency Dispatcher Jobs
Mouse over a state to see the number of active 911 emergency dispatcher jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where 911 emergency dispatchers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Number Of 911 Emergency Dispatcher Jobs By State
| Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 967 | $37,809 |
| 2 | Texas | 912 | $29,266 |
| 3 | Florida | 687 | $23,823 |
| 4 | New York | 496 | $41,081 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 433 | $56,556 |
| 6 | Georgia | 425 | $26,412 |
| 7 | New Jersey | 345 | $41,060 |
| 8 | Illinois | 338 | $36,416 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 314 | $31,063 |
| 10 | Washington | 293 | $37,798 |
| 11 | Virginia | 287 | $32,608 |
| 12 | Ohio | 282 | $30,537 |
| 13 | Indiana | 273 | $34,118 |
| 14 | Tennessee | 271 | $28,750 |
| 15 | Arizona | 251 | $32,028 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | 247 | $37,976 |
| 17 | Michigan | 245 | $37,346 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 217 | $40,263 |
| 19 | Maryland | 202 | $37,232 |
| 20 | Missouri | 189 | $33,020 |
| 21 | Minnesota | 185 | $46,377 |
| 22 | Colorado | 170 | $40,688 |
| 23 | Oregon | 150 | $37,221 |
| 24 | South Carolina | 144 | $23,732 |
| 25 | Iowa | 143 | $46,564 |
| 26 | Alabama | 129 | $28,156 |
| 27 | Louisiana | 126 | $27,140 |
| 28 | Kentucky | 124 | $26,901 |
| 29 | Connecticut | 112 | $44,707 |
| 30 | New Mexico | 106 | $32,523 |
| 31 | Nevada | 101 | $38,358 |
| 32 | Kansas | 101 | $40,710 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | 95 | $27,476 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | 93 | $43,294 |
| 35 | Utah | 83 | $38,779 |
| 36 | Arkansas | 81 | $30,927 |
| 37 | West Virginia | 80 | $45,003 |
| 38 | Maine | 75 | $48,714 |
| 39 | Montana | 63 | $35,578 |
| 40 | Mississippi | 51 | $28,596 |
| 41 | Alaska | 50 | $37,139 |
| 42 | South Dakota | 42 | $36,180 |
| 43 | Hawaii | 40 | $28,525 |
| 44 | Delaware | 39 | $43,058 |
| 45 | Vermont | 37 | $42,441 |
| 46 | Nebraska | 37 | $35,596 |
| 47 | Idaho | 33 | $46,325 |
| 48 | North Dakota | 31 | $41,888 |
| 49 | Wyoming | 28 | $44,449 |
| 50 | Rhode Island | 22 | $43,471 |
Top Skills For a 911 Emergency Dispatcher
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 11.6% of 911 emergency dispatchers listed ems on their resume, but soft skills such as ability to multitask and communication skills are important as well.
Choose From 10+ Customizable 911 Emergency Dispatcher Resume templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use 911 Emergency Dispatcher templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your 911 Emergency Dispatcher resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
911 Emergency Dispatcher Demographics
911 Emergency Dispatcher Gender Distribution
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- Among 911 emergency dispatchers, 73.2% of them are women, while 26.8% are men.
- The most common race/ethnicity among 911 emergency dispatchers is White, which makes up 72.1% of all 911 emergency dispatchers.
- The most common foreign language among 911 emergency dispatchers is Spanish at 79.6%.
Online Courses For 911 Emergency Dispatcher That You May Like
1. Communicating During Global Emergencies
In collaboration with the Rollins School of Public Health and the CDC's Division of Global Health Protection, Emergency Response, and Recovery Branch, this course introduces basic concepts and principles of communicating during a global crisis or emergency. It explores why communication during an emergency is different and the importance of adapting emergency messages to the needs of affected populations. Through sample scenarios, you will get the opportunity to identify information needs and...
See More on Coursera2. Medical Emergencies: CPR, Toxicology, and Wilderness
In this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to assess and stabilize certain types of patients for transport. By the end of this course, you will be able to: (1) Identify the signs and symptoms associated with a patient in shock, to describe the major categories of shock, to assess a patient with signs of shock and formulate a plan for treatment to stabilize the patient for transport, (2) Identify a patient in cardiac arrest and to describe the components of high performance CPR...
See More on Coursera3. Health in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies
The Center for Humanitarian Emergencies is a partnership between CDC's Emergency Response and Recovery Branch and the Rollins School of Public Health that drives global collaboration, research and evidence based training to improve the lives and well-being of populations impacted by humanitarian emergencies. - Center for Humanitarian Emergencies: http://www.che.emory.edu/ - CDC's Emergency Response and Recovery Branch: http://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/healthprotection/errb/index.html This course...
See More on CourseraBest States For a 911 Emergency Dispatcher
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a 911 emergency dispatcher. The best states for people in this position are Pennsylvania, Maine, Iowa, and Minnesota. 911 emergency dispatchers make the most in Pennsylvania with an average salary of $56,556. Whereas in Maine and Iowa, they would average $48,714 and $46,564, respectively. While 911 emergency dispatchers would only make an average of $46,377 in Minnesota, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. Maine
$48,714
Avg. Salary
2. West Virginia
$45,003
Avg. Salary
3. Pennsylvania
$56,556
Avg. Salary
How Do 911 Emergency Dispatcher Rate Their Jobs?
Top 911 Emergency Dispatcher Employers
Most Common Employers For 911 Emergency Dispatcher
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake County Sheriff's Office | $40,818 | $19.62 | 9 |
| 2 | Marion County Sheriff's Office | $40,551 | $19.50 | 13 |
| 3 | City | $40,236 | $19.34 | 8 |
| 4 | Franklin County Sheriff's Office | $40,027 | $19.24 | 8 |
| 5 | Benton County | $35,885 | $17.25 | 10 |
| 6 | Jackson County | $35,128 | $16.89 | 7 |
| 7 | Weld County Government | $34,562 | $16.62 | 8 |
| 8 | US Air Conditioning Distributors | $34,091 | $16.39 | 9 |
| 9 | Anderson County | $33,982 | $16.34 | 7 |
| 10 | Martin County | $33,660 | $16.18 | 7 |
911 Emergency Dispatcher Videos
