Dispatcher vs dispatch technician

The differences between dispatchers and dispatch technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a dispatcher and a dispatch technician. Additionally, a dispatcher has an average salary of $35,328, which is higher than the $34,469 average annual salary of a dispatch technician.

The top three skills for a dispatcher include customer service, data entry and computer aided dispatch. The most important skills for a dispatch technician are customer service, emergency calls, and POS.

Dispatcher vs dispatch technician overview

	Dispatcher	Dispatch Technician
Yearly salary	$35,328	$34,469
Hourly rate	$16.98	$16.57
Growth rate	4%	-4%
Number of jobs	5,818	30,551
Job satisfaction	4.25	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 33%	Associate Degree, 34%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does a dispatcher do?

Dispatchers are generally responsible for coordinating with the customers regarding the delivery status of the products and providing precise logistics and the fastest transportation routes to the professional drivers to ensure smooth and timely deliveries. A dispatcher is required to monitor the driver's location, strictly track road situations at all times to provide real-time updates for the customers, and advise the driver for alternative routes. Dispatchers also need to address possible customer complaints and process scheduling accurately to avoid inconsistencies in the delivery time.

What does a dispatch technician do?

A dispatch technician specializes in providing technical support to clients, particularly when it comes to network services. They primarily gather client information, identify their needs, sort out emergency and non-emergency calls, help clients troubleshoot issues, process requests, coordinating field technician services when necessary, and provide step-by-step instructions to solve problems. They may also call clients to follow-up on their requests and offer additional support, aiming for client satisfaction. Moreover, as a dispatch technician, it is essential to maintain records of all calls and transactions while adhering to guidelines and regulations.

Dispatcher vs dispatch technician salary

Dispatchers and dispatch technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Dispatcher	Dispatch Technician
Average salary	$35,328	$34,469
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $44,000	Between $27,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	Mt. San Antonio College	-
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between dispatcher and dispatch technician education

There are a few differences between a dispatcher and a dispatch technician in terms of educational background:

	Dispatcher	Dispatch Technician
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 33%	Associate Degree, 34%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Dispatcher vs dispatch technician demographics

Here are the differences between dispatchers' and dispatch technicians' demographics:

	Dispatcher	Dispatch Technician
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 38.1% Female, 61.9%	Male, 55.4% Female, 44.6%
Race ratio	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%	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	7%	7%

Differences between dispatcher and dispatch technician duties and responsibilities

Dispatcher example responsibilities.

Manage accounts payable (A/P) and accounts receivable (A/R) using QuickBooks.
Manage dot hrs for drivers as far as what tasks can be done in a certain amount of time.
Manage customer service satisfaction by providing update eta and location of drivers.
Dispatch police fire and ems.
Dispatch district security patrol officers to assist district employees, students and residents with emergency situations.
Earn CDL with passenger endorsement.

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Dispatch technician example responsibilities.

Manage the customer relationship and expectations, communicate effectively, and troubleshoot and resolve technical issues.
Work in service industry with plumbing, drain and HVAC techs.
Maintain and develop positive business relationships with a customer's key personnel involve in or directly relevant to a logistics activity.
Used AS400 to track and identify work relate assets.
Create interactive PowerPoint structures for artists to continue in development.

Dispatcher vs dispatch technician skills

Common dispatcher skills

Customer Service, 34%
Data Entry, 8%
Computer Aided Dispatch, 4%
Non-Emergency Calls, 4%
Emergency Situations, 3%
EMS, 3%

Common dispatch technician skills

Customer Service, 15%
Emergency Calls, 8%
POS, 6%
Inbound Calls, 5%
Troubleshoot, 5%
Service Calls, 5%

Dispatcher vs. similar jobs

Dispatcher related careers

Dispatcher related jobs

Dispatcher jobs by location

Updated January 8, 2025

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