Alarm operator vs telecommunicator

The differences between alarm operators and telecommunicators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a telecommunicator has an average salary of $39,327, which is higher than the $29,349 average annual salary of an alarm operator.

The top three skills for an alarm operator include alarm signals, emergency situations and customer service. The most important skills for a telecommunicator are computer aided dispatch, CAD, and EMS.

Alarm operator vs telecommunicator overview

	Alarm Operator	Telecommunicator
Yearly salary	$29,349	$39,327
Hourly rate	$14.11	$18.91
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	30,893	4,083
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	-	-

Alarm operator vs telecommunicator salary

Alarm operators and telecommunicators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Alarm Operator	Telecommunicator
Average salary	$29,349	$39,327
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $34,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Kirkland, WA	Stockton, CA
Highest paying state	Oregon	California
Best paying company	ASRC Federal	City of Detroit
Best paying industry	Utilities	Government

Differences between alarm operator and telecommunicator education

There are a few differences between an alarm operator and a telecommunicator in terms of educational background:

	Alarm Operator	Telecommunicator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Most common major	Business	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Alarm operator vs telecommunicator demographics

Here are the differences between alarm operators' and telecommunicators' demographics:

	Alarm Operator	Telecommunicator
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 39.2% Female, 60.8%	Male, 29.0% Female, 71.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 0.9% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 0.9% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	17%	17%

Differences between alarm operator and telecommunicator duties and responsibilities

Alarm operator example responsibilities.

Interpret and respond to system messages through use of JES2, MVS, SDSF and automate commands.
Supervise telecommunication operations and reinforce the confidentiality in telecommunications.
Enter data into various databases including TCIC and NCIC.
Enter stolen, re-cover and missing property into TCIC and NCIC database.
Supervise telecommunication operations and reinforce the confidentiality in telecommunications.

Telecommunicator example responsibilities.

Help organize telecommunication PSAP and back-up PSAP weekly.
Use NCIC and FCIC and provide accurate information for search.
Provide CPR instructions over the phone until emergency personnel arrive at location.
Monitor radio communications at the same time and update cad throughout emergency.
Monitor activities of officers on patrol and makes radio contact to ensure safety.
Maintain licenses to NCIC, FCIC, NLETS and other law enforcement information network.

Alarm operator vs telecommunicator skills

Common alarm operator skills

Alarm Signals, 15%
Emergency Situations, 14%
Customer Service, 12%
Data Entry, 8%
Emergency Services, 7%
Security Systems, 7%

Common telecommunicator skills

Computer Aided Dispatch, 14%
CAD, 7%
EMS, 6%
NCIC, 6%
Patrol, 4%
Dispatch System, 4%