Emergency communications technician vs emergency dispatcher

The differences between emergency communications technicians and emergency dispatchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an emergency communications technician has an average salary of $42,950, which is higher than the $36,748 average annual salary of an emergency dispatcher.

The top three skills for an emergency communications technician include emergency communications, patient care and CPR. The most important skills for an emergency dispatcher are computer aided dispatch, EMS, and customer service.

Emergency communications technician vs emergency dispatcher overview

	Emergency Communications Technician	Emergency Dispatcher
Yearly salary	$42,950	$36,748
Hourly rate	$20.65	$17.67
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	61,970	29,409
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	-	-

Emergency communications technician vs emergency dispatcher salary

Emergency communications technicians and emergency dispatchers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Emergency Communications Technician	Emergency Dispatcher
Average salary	$42,950	$36,748
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $60,000	Between $27,000 And $49,000
Highest paying City	-	Allentown, PA
Highest paying state	-	Pennsylvania
Best paying company	-	Clean Harbors
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between emergency communications technician and emergency dispatcher education

There are a few differences between an emergency communications technician and an emergency dispatcher in terms of educational background:

	Emergency Communications Technician	Emergency Dispatcher
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Emergency communications technician vs emergency dispatcher demographics

Here are the differences between emergency communications technicians' and emergency dispatchers' demographics:

	Emergency Communications Technician	Emergency Dispatcher
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 34.1% Female, 65.9%	Male, 34.8% Female, 65.2%
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 emergency communications technician and emergency dispatcher duties and responsibilities

Emergency communications technician example responsibilities.

Compile a supplementary report for incorrect VCIN codes.
Coordinate emergency services for police, fire and ambulances.
Assist and independently train new hires and senior management on new protocols, CPR, and EMD software.
Maintain composure and compassion while handling emergency and non-emergency calls from a diverse community
Receive training regarding updates and changes of policies, procedure and regulations to CJIS.

Emergency dispatcher example responsibilities.

Perform (EMD) emergency medical dispatch procedures until the police, fire fighters or paramedics arrive.
Receive emergency and non emergency calls via telephone, TDD or radio.
Assist with over the phone medical instruction, CPR instruction, and traumatic emergencies.
Coordinate response of ambulances and public safety units to emergency sites or in-progress crime situations.
Coordinate response of ambulances, fire, and police units to emergencies and in-progress crime situations.
Assist with leading callers through various procedures such as CPR while waiting for units to arrive on scene.

Emergency communications technician vs emergency dispatcher skills

Common emergency communications technician skills

Emergency Communications, 12%
Patient Care, 12%
CPR, 9%
Computer Aided Dispatch, 9%
Data Entry, 7%
Medical Services, 7%

Common emergency dispatcher skills

Computer Aided Dispatch, 12%
EMS, 6%
Customer Service, 6%
CAD, 6%
Public Safety Agencies, 6%
Non-Emergency Telephone Calls, 6%

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Emergency Communications Technician
Emergency Communications Technician vs Emergency Dispatcher

Updated January 8, 2025

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