Emergency dispatcher vs telecommunicator

The differences between emergency dispatchers and telecommunicators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a telecommunicator has an average salary of $39,327, which is higher than the $36,748 average annual salary of an emergency dispatcher.

The top three skills for an emergency dispatcher include computer aided dispatch, EMS and customer service. The most important skills for a telecommunicator are computer aided dispatch, CAD, and EMS.

Emergency dispatcher vs telecommunicator overview

	Emergency Dispatcher	Telecommunicator
Yearly salary	$36,748	$39,327
Hourly rate	$17.67	$18.91
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	29,409	4,083
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	-	-

Emergency dispatcher vs telecommunicator salary

Emergency dispatchers and telecommunicators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Emergency Dispatcher	Telecommunicator
Average salary	$36,748	$39,327
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $49,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Allentown, PA	Stockton, CA
Highest paying state	Pennsylvania	California
Best paying company	Clean Harbors	City of Detroit
Best paying industry	Government	Government

Differences between emergency dispatcher and telecommunicator education

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

	Emergency Dispatcher	Telecommunicator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Emergency dispatcher vs telecommunicator demographics

Here are the differences between emergency dispatchers' and telecommunicators' demographics:

	Emergency Dispatcher	Telecommunicator
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 34.8% Female, 65.2%	Male, 29.0% Female, 71.0%
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, 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 dispatcher and telecommunicator duties and responsibilities

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.

Telecommunicator example responsibilities.

Help organize telecommunication PSAP and back-up PSAP weekly.
Use NCIC and FCIC and provide accurate information for search.
Provide CPR instructions over the phone until emergency personnel arrive at location.
Monitor radio communications at the same time and update cad throughout emergency.
Monitor activities of officers on patrol and makes radio contact to ensure safety.
Maintain licenses to NCIC, FCIC, NLETS and other law enforcement information network.

Emergency dispatcher vs telecommunicator skills

Common emergency dispatcher skills

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

Common telecommunicator skills

Computer Aided Dispatch, 14%
CAD, 7%
EMS, 6%
NCIC, 6%
Patrol, 4%
Dispatch System, 4%

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Emergency Dispatcher
Emergency Dispatcher vs Telecommunicator

Updated January 8, 2025

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