Airline dispatcher vs traffic operator

The differences between airline dispatchers and traffic operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an airline dispatcher has an average salary of $45,071, which is higher than the $36,610 average annual salary of a traffic operator.

The top three skills for an airline dispatcher include FAA, and . The most important skills for a traffic operator are patrol, traffic management, and CCTV.

Airline dispatcher vs traffic operator overview

	Airline Dispatcher	Traffic Operator
Yearly salary	$45,071	$36,610
Hourly rate	$21.67	$17.60
Growth rate	1%	3%
Number of jobs	4,408	31,592
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Average age	38	45
Years of experience	-	4

Airline dispatcher vs traffic operator salary

Airline dispatchers and traffic operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Airline Dispatcher	Traffic Operator
Average salary	$45,071	$36,610
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $78,000	Between $24,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	-	Topeka, KS
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	Trafigura
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between airline dispatcher and traffic operator education

There are a few differences between an airline dispatcher and a traffic operator in terms of educational background:

	Airline Dispatcher	Traffic Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Most common major	Aviation	Business
Most common college	SUNY Farmingdale	Stanford University

Airline dispatcher vs traffic operator demographics

Here are the differences between airline dispatchers' and traffic operators' demographics:

	Airline Dispatcher	Traffic Operator
Average age	38	45
Gender ratio	Male, 77.8% Female, 22.2%	Male, 60.2% Female, 39.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 7.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 4.9% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 6.2% White, 58.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	7%	5%

Differences between airline dispatcher and traffic operator duties and responsibilities

Airline dispatcher example responsibilities.

Manage dot hrs for drivers as far as what tasks can be done in a certain amount of time.
Dispatch aircraft in accordance with FAA regulations and company define policies.
General terminal maintenance including minor electrical, mechanical, and plumbing repairs.
General terminal maintenance including minor electrical, mechanical, and plumbing repairs.

Traffic operator example responsibilities.

Manage busy company switchboard, operating PBX or private branch exchange systems to facilitate connections.
Dispatch safety service patrol along the interstate to assist with disable vehicles, accidents, or any lane closures.
Operate heavy machinery such as bobcat equipment and also operate and pave asphalt perform demolition work.
Train and recruit transportation personnel ensuring compliance with numerous transportation and DoD regulations.

Airline dispatcher vs traffic operator skills

Common airline dispatcher skills

FAA, 100%

Common traffic operator skills

Patrol, 15%
Traffic Management, 10%
CCTV, 7%
Incident Management, 6%
DOT, 6%
Traffic Control, 6%

Airline Dispatcher vs. similar jobs

Airline Dispatcher related careers

Airline Dispatcher related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Transportation Industry
Airline Dispatcher
Airline Dispatcher vs Traffic Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse transportation jobs