How To Become A 911 Emergency Dispatcher: What It Is and Career Path

What is a 911 emergency dispatcher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a 911 emergency dispatcher. For example, did you know that they make an average of $17.68 an hour? That's $36,782 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 3,600 job opportunities across the U.S.

Score911 Emergency DispatcherUS Average

Salary

2.9

Avg. Salary $36,782

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.72%

Asian 0.90%

Black or African American 9.14%

Hispanic or Latino 11.11%

Unknown 6.00%

White 72.13%

Gender

female 73.19%

male 26.81%

Age - 38

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.9

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

8.7

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a 911 emergency dispatcher

Explore 911 emergency dispatcher education requirements

Most common 911 emergency dispatcher degrees

High School Diploma

30.5 %

Bachelor's

26.7 %

Associate

26.1 %

Start to develop specific 911 emergency dispatcher skills

Skills	Percentages
EMS	11.59%
Computer Aided Dispatch	10.19%
NCIC	6.15%
CAD	6.12%
Public Safety Agencies	6.11%

Complete relevant 911 emergency dispatcher training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New 911 emergency dispatchers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a 911 emergency dispatcher based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real 911 emergency dispatcher resumes.

Gain additional 911 emergency dispatcher certifications

911 emergency dispatcher certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific 911 emergency dispatcher certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for 911 emergency dispatchers include Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Emergency Medical Dispatcher Certification (EMD).

More About Certifications

Research 911 emergency dispatcher duties and responsibilities

Help deliver several healthy babies with the assistance of the 911 EMD cards.
Help callers perform CPR, Heimlich maneuver, and other lifesaving measures of injure subjects.
Answer emergency and non-emergency calls and dispatch the appropriate department whether it be police, fire, or ems.
Operate a nationwide computerize crime information system (NCIC) to all criminal justice agencies-local, state and federal.

Prepare your 911 emergency dispatcher resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your 911 emergency dispatcher resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a 911 emergency dispatcher resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable 911 emergency dispatcher resume templates

Build a professional 911 emergency dispatcher resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your 911 emergency dispatcher resume.