How to hire a dispatcher

How to hire a dispatcher, step by step

Here's a step-by-step dispatcher hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a dispatcher job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new dispatcher
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a dispatcher do?

Post a dispatcher job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The dispatcher hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A dispatcher's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, dispatchers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of dispatcher salaries for various roles:

   Type of Dispatcher	Description	Hourly rate
   Dispatcher	A Dispatcher is responsible for delivering items to customers through verifying orders. They use a radio, phone, or computer to send crews, vehicles, or other field units to appropriate locations.	$12-21
   Telecommunication Operator	A Telecommunication Operator handles all incoming calls and transfers them when necessary to appropriate quarters. As a Telecommunication operator, you will be tasked with responding to inquiries, answering messages, and passing along communication to the right individuals... Show more	$14-24
   Yardmaster/Customer Service/Crew Dispatching	A yardmaster/customer service/crew dispatching officer functions differently depending on their industry or place of employment. Most of their responsibilities revolve around dealing with providing customer support and services, responding to inquiries and correspondence, addressing issues and concerns, providing corrective measures, and producing progress reports... Show more	$12-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Data Entry
   • Computer Aided Dispatch
   • Non-Emergency Calls
   • Emergency Situations
   • EMS
   • Computer System
   • Payroll
   • Service Calls
   • CAD
   • Outbound Calls
   • GPS
   • Telephone Calls
   • Dispatch System

   Check all skills

   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.

   More dispatcher duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your dispatcher job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A dispatcher salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a dispatcher in Florida may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level dispatcher usually earns less than a senior-level dispatcher. Additionally, a dispatcher with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average dispatcher salary

   $35,328yearly

   $16.98 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level dispatcher salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average dispatcher salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$44,841	$22
   2	California	$41,073	$20
   3	Massachusetts	$39,638	$19
   4	New York	$38,015	$18
   5	Oregon	$37,738	$18
   6	Virginia	$37,556	$18
   7	Colorado	$37,464	$18
   8	Illinois	$37,333	$18
   9	Nebraska	$35,310	$17
   10	Pennsylvania	$34,728	$17
   11	Delaware	$34,431	$17
   12	Maryland	$34,425	$17
   13	Ohio	$34,202	$16
   14	Missouri	$34,145	$16
   15	Indiana	$33,708	$16
   16	Utah	$33,573	$16
   17	Arizona	$33,274	$16
   18	Georgia	$33,175	$16
   19	Texas	$33,116	$16
   20	Kansas	$32,331	$16

   Average dispatcher salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Mt. San Antonio College	$58,545	$28.15
   2	Argonne National Laboratory	$56,857	$27.34	2
   3	Saint Xavier University	$49,353	$23.73
   4	Moody's	$46,750	$22.48	1
   5	University of California-Berkeley	$46,682	$22.44
   6	Town of Davie, FL	$45,593	$21.92
   7	Licking County	$45,523	$21.89	1
   8	National Grid plc	$45,367	$21.81
   9	North Arkansas Regional Medical Center	$44,875	$21.57
   10	Steel Dynamics	$44,798	$21.54	1
   11	Aqua	$44,690	$21.49
   12	Brown County	$44,626	$21.45	1
   13	Baker Hughes	$44,558	$21.42
   14	York County	$44,504	$21.40
   15	Multnomah County	$44,346	$21.32
   16	Sherburne County	$44,049	$21.18
   17	Bentley University	$43,900	$21.11
   18	Big Horn Electric	$43,886	$21.10
   19	University of California	$43,773	$21.04	4
   20	City of San Antonio	$43,480	$20.90

4. Writing a dispatcher job description

   A dispatcher job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a dispatcher job description:

   Dispatcher job description example

   1. Answer and screen incoming emergency and non-emergency public safety calls for service to elicit and record pertinent information; dispatch calls for service, critical incidents and emergency calls; coordinate calls for outside emergency and law enforcement agency assistance.
   
   2. Day-to-day assignments performed require regular use of judgment and discretion, essential to set priorities, assess the importance of information, and to react quickly and effectively following established protocols and procedures in most instances. Incumbents are accountable for actions taken.
   
   3. Answer operator calls for the university during business hours; contacting on call counselors, CARE advocate, medical providers, facilities, and administrators during university non-operational hours.
   
   4. Maintain radio contact with public safety personnel on assignment and keep supervisors and officers informed of current situations while monitoring campus alarm and video systems as well as monitoring public safety radio frequencies of surrounding community for any activity that would impact the university’s safety and security.
   
   5. Utilize dispatch, alarms, video, voice recorder and parking computer systems and databases to maintain department files and reports; enter and retrieve data for reports, activity log, citation information, crime and incident information.
   
   6. Coordinate with appropriate Residential Life staff on calls for service regarding student conduct and wellness, providing communication between departments, and ensuring the students involved have access to support and campus resources.
   
   7. Assist campus community or visitors at walkup window with requests for service and general information.
   
   8. Activate mass emergency notification, and campus lockdown or evacuation, when directed or required by Standard Operating Procedure. Act as liaison between Emergency Operation Center and Dispatch when posted at incident Command Center.
   
   9. Process and respond to Records Requests for outside agencies performing background checks on former USD staff and students and maintain computer database of these requests.
   
   10. Process lost and found items turned into public safety by receiving, documenting, and entering the item information into a computer database and responding to inquiries about lost and found items.
   MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 1. High School Graduate or GED. 2. Two years of experience as a law enforcement dispatcher, telephone operator or equivalent; or two years of full-time clerical experience involving public contact preferred. OR 3. An equivalent combination of related business and police science education and progressively responsible work experience. Successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and medical exam

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right dispatcher for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your dispatcher job on Zippia to find and recruit dispatcher candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting dispatchers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new dispatcher

   Once you have selected a candidate for the dispatcher position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new dispatcher. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a dispatcher?