Emergency dispatcher demographics and statistics in the US
Emergency dispatcher demographics research summary. Zippia estimates emergency dispatcher demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our emergency dispatcher estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about emergency dispatchers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 67,013 emergency dispatchers currently employed in the United States.
- 65.2% of all emergency dispatchers are women, while 34.8% are men.
- The average emergency dispatcher age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of emergency dispatchers is White (72.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (11.1%), Black or African American (9.1%) and Unknown (6.0%).
- Emergency dispatchers are most in-demand in Lakewood, NJ.
- The government industry is the highest-paying for emergency dispatchers.
- 17% of all emergency dispatchers are LGBT.
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Emergency dispatcher demographics by:
Emergency dispatcher gender statistics
65.2% of emergency dispatchers are women and 34.8% of emergency dispatchers are men.
- Female, 65.2%
- Male, 34.8%
Emergency dispatcher gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 65.2% |
| Male | 34.8% |
Emergency dispatcher gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$37,929
Female income
$37,008
Emergency dispatcher gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in emergency dispatcher positions over time. Currently, 65.2% of emergency dispatchers are female.
Emergency dispatcher gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 46.42% | 53.58% |
| 2011 | 46.84% | 53.16% |
| 2012 | 45.45% | 54.55% |
| 2013 | 47.52% | 52.48% |
| 2014 | 44.92% | 55.08% |
| 2015 | 48.41% | 51.59% |
| 2016 | 47.45% | 52.55% |
| 2017 | 46.21% | 53.79% |
| 2018 | 33.43% | 66.57% |
| 2019 | 35.87% | 64.13% |
| 2020 | 30.26% | 69.74% |
| 2021 | 34.76% | 65.24% |
Emergency dispatcher related jobs gender ratio
We compared emergency dispatchers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, centrifugal operator and flight information expediter have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetician | 3% | 97% |
| Schedule Checker | 10% | 90% |
| Plant Clerk | 14% | 86% |
| Emergency Dispatcher | 35% | 65% |
| Raw Scales Operator | 95% | 5% |
| Flight Information Expediter | 95% | 5% |
| Centrifugal Operator | 96% | 4% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Emergency dispatcher demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among emergency dispatchers is White, which makes up 72.1% of all emergency dispatchers. Comparatively, 11.1% of emergency dispatchers are Hispanic or Latino and 9.1% of emergency dispatchers are Black or African American.
- White, 72.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 11.1%
- Black or African American, 9.1%
- Unknown, 6.0%
- Asian, 0.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Emergency dispatcher race
| Emergency dispatcher race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 72.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.1% |
| Black or African American | 9.1% |
| Unknown | 6.0% |
| Asian | 0.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Emergency dispatcher race and ethnicity over time
See how emergency dispatcher racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Emergency dispatcher race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 75.41% | 9.59% | 1.82% | 10.57% |
| 2011 | 72.29% | 11.37% | 1.84% | 11.47% |
| 2012 | 72.43% | 10.81% | 2.40% | 12.06% |
| 2013 | 73.67% | 10.30% | 2.21% | 10.51% |
| 2014 | 71.75% | 11.62% | 1.92% | 12.02% |
| 2015 | 72.03% | 11.76% | 1.89% | 11.94% |
| 2016 | 72.37% | 10.12% | 3.03% | 11.86% |
| 2017 | 72.17% | 9.51% | 2.13% | 13.04% |
| 2018 | 75.26% | 10.12% | 1.81% | 9.65% |
| 2019 | 77.98% | 8.31% | 0.77% | 9.25% |
| 2020 | 74.05% | 8.40% | 1.31% | 11.12% |
| 2021 | 72.13% | 9.14% | 0.90% | 11.11% |
Emergency dispatcher wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino emergency dispatchers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american emergency dispatchers have the lowest average salary at $37,520.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $37,782 |
| White | $37,590 |
| Black or African American | $37,520 |
| Asian | $38,288 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $38,472 |
Average emergency dispatcher age
See how the average age of emergency dispatchers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Emergency dispatcher age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 38.5 | |
| White | 40 | 39 |
| Black or African American | 39 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 31 | 32 |
Emergency dispatcher age breakdown
The average age of emergency dispatchers is 40+ years years old, representing 46% of the emergency dispatcher population.
Emergency dispatcher age breakdown
| Emergency Dispatcher Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 46% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Emergency dispatcher educational attainment
The most common degree for emergency dispatchers is bachelor's degree, with 32% of emergency dispatchers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 29% and high school diploma degree at 25%.
- Bachelor's, 32%
- High School Diploma, 29%
- Associate, 25%
- Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Emergency dispatchers by degree level
| Emergency dispatcher degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 32% |
| High School Diploma | 29% |
| Associate | 25% |
| Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Emergency dispatcher jobs you might like
Emergency dispatcher wage gap by degree level
According to the data, emergency dispatchers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $38,670 annually. With a Associate degree, emergency dispatchers earn a median annual income of $38,326 compared to $37,153 for emergency dispatchers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,153 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $38,670 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $38,326 |
Emergency dispatcher employment statistics
Most emergency dispatchers work for a private in the government industry.
Company size where emergency dispatchers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where emergency dispatchers work.
Emergency dispatcher jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 30% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 15% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 17% |
| > 10,000 employees | 14% |
Emergency dispatcher jobs by company type
Employees with the emergency dispatcher job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most emergency dispatchers prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Emergency dispatcher jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 11% |
| Private | 48% |
| Government | 38% |
Emergency dispatcher jobs by industry
The most common industries for emergency dispatchers are government, health care and professional.
Emergency dispatcher industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 36% |
| Health Care | 10% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Utilities | 8% |
| Technology | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Emergency dispatcher turnover and employment statistics
Emergency dispatcher unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for emergency dispatchers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Emergency dispatcher unemployment rate by year
| Year | Emergency dispatcher unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 8.02% |
| 2011 | 6.93% |
| 2012 | 5.71% |
| 2013 | 5.09% |
| 2014 | 4.22% |
| 2015 | 3.94% |
| 2016 | 3.81% |
| 2017 | 3.05% |
| 2018 | 1.93% |
| 2019 | 1.47% |
| 2020 | 1.38% |
| 2021 | 2.39% |
Average emergency dispatcher tenure
The average emergency dispatcher stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,075 emergency dispatchers resumes in Zippia's database.
Emergency dispatcher tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 25% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Emergency dispatcher LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of emergency dispatchers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Materials Assistant | 6.40% | 8,137 |
| Errand Runner | 8.26% | 13,822 |
| Mail Carriers Supervisor | 9.48% | 18,342 |
| Window/Distribution Clerk | 10.33% | 74,613 |
| Inventory Control Lead | 10.63% | 50,694 |
| Posting Machine Operator | 11.70% | 53,653 |
| Emergency Dispatcher | 17.25% | - |
Similar emergency dispatcher jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Materials Assistant | 6.40% | 8,137 |
| Errand Runner | 8.26% | 13,822 |
| Mail Carriers Supervisor | 9.48% | 18,342 |
| Window/Distribution Clerk | 10.33% | 74,613 |
| Inventory Control Lead | 10.63% | 50,694 |
| Posting Machine Operator | 11.70% | 53,653 |
Foreign languages spoken by emergency dispatchers
The most common foreign language among emergency dispatchers is Spanish at 67.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Arabic at 6.5% and French is the third-most popular at 4.8%.
- Spanish, 67.7%
- Arabic, 6.5%
- French, 4.8%
- Korean, 3.2%
- Portuguese, 1.6%
- Other, 16.2%
Emergency dispatcher languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 67.7% |
| Arabic | 6.5% |
| French | 4.8% |
| Korean | 3.2% |
| Portuguese | 1.6% |
| Other | 16.2% |
