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The differences between communications dispatchers and security dispatchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a communications dispatcher has an average salary of $35,153, which is higher than the $33,347 average annual salary of a security dispatcher.
The top three skills for a communications dispatcher include computer aided dispatch, CAD and emergency situations. The most important skills for a security dispatcher are customer service, patients, and patrol.
| Communications Dispatcher | Security Dispatcher | |
| Yearly salary | $35,153 | $33,347 |
| Hourly rate | $16.90 | $16.03 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 19,172 | 82,349 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
Communications dispatchers are responsible for answering emergency calls and dispatch officials to sort out the situation. They are often called 911 operators or 911 dispatchers and respond to the calls from the public and relay the messages to the medical personnel, police, or the fire staff to the scene of the emergency occasion. Typical duties of communications dispatchers include receiving and responding to emergency calls, recording the calls, evaluating incidents, and prioritizing calls. Their job requires them to earn a certain certification as well as training. Interpersonal and strong listening skills are vital in this field.
Security Dispatcher are responsible for maintaining records, monitoring staff and equipment location, handling communications with various areas, and information personnel about traffic issues. They must be excellent in communication, decision making, listening, ability to multitask, speech clarity, accuracy, time management, and computer operation. These are the skills that a security dispatcher must have in order to accomplish their responsibilities.
Communications dispatchers and security dispatchers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Communications Dispatcher | Security Dispatcher | |
| Average salary | $35,153 | $33,347 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $47,000 | Between $26,000 And $41,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Bellevue, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | City of Richmond | Brigham and Women's Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Government | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a communications dispatcher and a security dispatcher in terms of educational background:
| Communications Dispatcher | Security Dispatcher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between communications dispatchers' and security dispatchers' demographics:
| Communications Dispatcher | Security Dispatcher | |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.6% Female, 70.4% | Male, 43.0% Female, 57.0% |
| 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, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 3.8% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 17% | 7% |