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Emergency dispatcher salary
Average emergency dispatcher salary
$36,748
Understanding Emergency Dispatcher Salaries
The salary for an Emergency Dispatcher varies based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific employer. As of October 2025, the average annual salary is $36,748, with hourly wages around $18. States like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for these professionals.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level dispatchers may start at a lower salary, while those with more experience can earn substantially more. For instance, dispatchers with over five years of experience can see salaries increase by 20% or more, depending on the region and responsibilities.
Job Opportunities
Emergency Dispatchers can find opportunities in various settings, including police departments, fire departments, and emergency medical services. Many organizations offer additional training and certifications, which can enhance career prospects and salary potential.
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Where can an Emergency Dispatcher earn more?
Emergency dispatcher salaries by experience level
Emergency dispatcher salary estimates from across the web
Average emergency dispatcher salary by state
The average emergency dispatcher salary in Pennsylvania, Maine, and Iowa are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average emergency dispatcher salary states are Alabama, Oklahoma, and Kentucky.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for emergency dispatchers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $48,745 | $23.44 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $44,954 | $21.61 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $56,306 | $27.07 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $44,570 | $21.43 |
| 5 | Iowa | $46,589 | $22.40 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $43,309 | $20.82 |
| 7 | Vermont | $42,417 | $20.39 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $44,585 | $21.44 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $41,830 | $20.11 |
| 10 | Washington | $43,442 | $20.89 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $46,539 | $22.37 |
| 12 | California | $46,062 | $22.15 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $42,130 | $20.25 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $40,816 | $19.62 |
| 15 | Nevada | $38,336 | $18.43 |
| 16 | Delaware | $42,785 | $20.57 |
| 17 | Alaska | $37,653 | $18.10 |
| 18 | Kansas | $40,631 | $19.53 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $43,289 | $20.81 |
| 20 | New York | $40,948 | $19.69 |
| 21 | Montana | $35,811 | $17.22 |
| 22 | Colorado | $42,943 | $20.65 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $36,282 | $17.44 |
| 24 | Michigan | $37,740 | $18.14 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $41,281 | $19.85 |
| 26 | Indiana | $34,038 | $16.36 |
| 27 | Arizona | $35,257 | $16.95 |
| 28 | Oregon | $37,287 | $17.93 |
| 29 | Utah | $38,779 | $18.64 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $41,152 | $19.78 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $32,492 | $15.62 |
| 32 | Maryland | $37,089 | $17.83 |
| 33 | Illinois | $36,401 | $17.50 |
| 34 | Virginia | $36,128 | $17.37 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $28,642 | $13.77 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $35,645 | $17.14 |
| 37 | Missouri | $33,132 | $15.93 |
| 38 | Florida | $29,724 | $14.29 |
| 39 | Texas | $28,057 | $13.49 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $28,375 | $13.64 |
| 41 | Idaho | $33,206 | $15.96 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $30,844 | $14.83 |
| 43 | Ohio | $30,551 | $14.69 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $28,006 | $13.46 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $26,878 | $12.92 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $26,926 | $12.95 |
| 47 | Georgia | $26,240 | $12.62 |
| 48 | Alabama | $27,938 | $13.43 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $27,391 | $13.17 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $28,375 | $13.64 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $23,666 | $11.38 |
Highest paying cities for emergency dispatchers
The highest-paying cities for emergency dispatchers are Allentown, PA, Des Moines, IA, and Burbank, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allentown, PA | $56,868 | $27.34 |
| 2 | Des Moines, IA | $46,165 | $22.19 |
| 3 | Burbank, CA | $45,259 | $21.76 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $43,059 | $20.70 |
| 5 | Bismarck, ND | $42,007 | $20.20 |
| 6 | Marshfield, MA | $41,283 | $19.85 |
| 7 | Hackensack, NJ | $40,975 | $19.70 |
| 8 | Anchorage, AK | $37,724 | $18.14 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $37,327 | $17.95 |
| 10 | Omaha, NE | $36,011 | $17.31 |
| 11 | Idaho Falls, ID | $33,026 | $15.88 |
| 12 | Las Cruces, NM | $32,026 | $15.40 |
| 13 | Mentor, OH | $31,926 | $15.35 |
| 14 | Miami, FL | $29,719 | $14.29 |
| 15 | Irving, TX | $28,231 | $13.57 |
| 16 | Tulsa, OK | $27,577 | $13.26 |
Emergency dispatcher salary details
An emergency dispatcher's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $49,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an emergency dispatcher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
| 75th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| Average | $36,748 | $3,062 | $18 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
Highest paying emergency dispatcher jobs
The highest paying types of emergency dispatchers are emergency dispatch operator, 911 operator, and operations/dispatch.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Call Taker | $38,776 | $3,231 | $18.64 | 11,539 |
| Telecommunication Operator | $39,381 | $3,282 | $18.93 | 34,218 |
| Communications Operator | $31,491 | $2,624 | $15.14 | 48,509 |
| Telecommunicator | $39,327 | $3,277 | $18.91 | 4,083 |
| Operations/Dispatch | $39,483 | $3,290 | $18.98 | 60,313 |
| Public Safety Dispatcher | $35,063 | $2,922 | $16.86 | 25,700 |
Top companies hiring emergency dispatchers now:
Which companies pay emergency dispatchers the most?
Emergency dispatcher salaries at Clean Harbors and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average emergency dispatcher salary at companies like City and County of Denver Government and Idaho National Lab are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clean Harbors | $45,879 | $22.06 |
| 2 | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | $44,976 | $21.62 |
| 3 | City and County of Denver Government | $44,399 | $21.35 |
| 4 | Idaho National Lab | $40,442 | $19.44 |
| 5 | Hackensack Meridian Health | $39,541 | $19.01 |
| 6 | City of Mentor | $39,372 | $18.93 |
| 7 | City of Helotes | $38,195 | $18.36 |
| 8 | City of De Soto | $36,908 | $17.74 |
| 9 | City of Cedar Park | $36,006 | $17.31 |
| 10 | City Of Miami | $35,912 | $17.27 |
| 11 | Lehigh Valley Health Network | $35,840 | $17.23 |
| 12 | Motion Recruitment | $34,395 | $16.54 |
| 13 | Maryland Transportation Authority | $34,349 | $16.51 |
| 14 | State of North Dakota | $34,199 | $16.44 |
| 15 | Tulsa Airport | $34,074 | $16.38 |
| 16 | UnityPoint Health | $33,462 | $16.09 |
| 17 | AAA Systems | $33,034 | $15.88 |
| 18 | GardaWorld Federal Services | $31,998 | $15.38 |
| 19 | City of Rialto | $31,876 | $15.32 |
| 20 | Anoka County | $31,727 | $15.25 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Emergency Dispatcher salary by industry
The average emergency dispatcher salary varies across industries:
- The average emergency dispatcher salary in the government industry is $37,537, the highest of any industry.
- The average emergency dispatcher salary in the finance industry is $34,701.
- Emergency dispatchers in the professional industry earn an average salary of $32,037, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for emergency dispatchers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $37,537 | $18.05 |
| 2 | Utilities | $34,701 | $16.68 |
| 3 | Health Care | $32,959 | $15.85 |
| 4 | Technology | $32,147 | $15.46 |
| 5 | Professional | $32,037 | $15.40 |
High paying emergency dispatcher jobs
Emergency dispatcher salary trends
The average emergency dispatcher salary has risen by $6,248 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average emergency dispatcher earned $30,500 annually, but today, they earn $36,748 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for emergency dispatchers over the last decade.
Compare emergency dispatcher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average emergency dispatcher salary over time
Compare emergency dispatcher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Emergency dispatcher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $36,700 | $17.67 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $35,600 | $17.10 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | $34,500 | $16.59 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $33,600 | $16.18 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $33,000 | $15.86 | +2.2% |
Recently added emergency dispatcher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockheed Martin | Emergency Dispatcher | Fort Worth, TX | 06/22/2025 | $51,600 |
| Erickson Senior Living | Emergency Response Dispatcher | Highlands Ranch, CO | 06/20/2025 | $41,740 |
| Presbyterian Healthcare Services | Emergency Dispatcher | Albuquerque, NM | 06/13/2025 | $51,570 |
| Gardaworld | Emergency Dispatcher Command Center | Tampa, FL | 06/11/2025 | $45,914 |
| Tulsa International Airport | Airport Emergency Dispatcher | Tulsa, OK | 06/07/2025 | $43,201 |
| Gardaworld | Emergency Dispatcher Command Center | Tampa, FL | 05/22/2025 | $45,914 |
| Snohomish County 911 | 1 Emergency Dispatcher/Trainee Dispatcher/Lateral Dispatcher | Everett, WA | 04/13/2025 | $72,711 |
| Kings III of America | Emergency Dispatcher-2Nd Shift | Coppell, TX | 03/26/2025 | $41,740 |
| Sentara Hospitals | Hospital Emergency Dispatcher | Norfolk, VA | 03/24/2025 | $36,126 |
| Custer County | Emergency Dispatcher | Chadron, NE | 03/09/2025 | $43,827 |
Emergency dispatcher salary FAQs
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