Fire dispatcher demographics and statistics in the US
Fire dispatcher demographics research summary. Zippia estimates fire dispatcher demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our fire 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 fire dispatchers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 46,961 fire dispatchers currently employed in the United States.
- 63.4% of all fire dispatchers are women, while 36.6% are men.
- The average fire dispatcher age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of fire dispatchers is White (72.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (11.1%), Black or African American (9.1%) and Unknown (6.0%).
- In 2022, women earned 98% of what men earned.
- 17% of all fire dispatchers are LGBT.
- Fire dispatchers are 55% more likely to work at government companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Fire dispatcher demographics by:
Fire dispatcher gender statistics
63.4% of fire dispatchers are women and 36.6% of fire dispatchers are men.
- Female, 63.4%
- Male, 36.6%
Fire dispatcher gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 63.4% |
| Male | 36.6% |
Fire dispatcher gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$38,573
Female income
$37,690
Fire dispatcher gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in fire dispatcher positions over time. Currently, 63.4% of fire dispatchers are female.
Fire dispatcher gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 48.43% | 51.57% |
| 2011 | 48.85% | 51.15% |
| 2012 | 47.45% | 52.55% |
| 2013 | 49.53% | 50.47% |
| 2014 | 46.92% | 53.08% |
| 2015 | 50.42% | 49.58% |
| 2016 | 49.46% | 50.54% |
| 2017 | 48.21% | 51.79% |
| 2018 | 35.25% | 64.75% |
| 2019 | 37.74% | 62.26% |
| 2020 | 31.98% | 68.02% |
| 2021 | 36.60% | 63.40% |
Fire dispatcher related jobs gender ratio
We compared fire 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% |
| Fire Dispatcher | 37% | 63% |
| 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%
Fire dispatcher demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among fire dispatchers is White, which makes up 72.1% of all fire dispatchers. Comparatively, 11.1% of fire dispatchers are Hispanic or Latino and 9.1% of fire 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%
Fire dispatcher race
| Fire 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% |
Fire dispatcher race and ethnicity over time
See how fire dispatcher racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Fire 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% |
Fire dispatcher wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino fire dispatchers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american fire dispatchers have the lowest average salary at $38,182.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $38,433 |
| White | $38,249 |
| Black or African American | $38,182 |
| Asian | $38,917 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $39,093 |
Average fire dispatcher age
See how the average age of fire dispatchers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Fire 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 |
Fire dispatcher age breakdown
The average age of fire dispatchers is 40+ years years old, representing 46% of the fire dispatcher population.
Fire dispatcher age breakdown
| Fire Dispatcher Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 46% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Fire dispatcher educational attainment
The most common degree for fire dispatchers is bachelor's degree, with 36% of fire dispatchers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 27% and associate degree degree at 21%.
- Bachelor's, 36%
- Associate, 27%
- High School Diploma, 21%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 11%
Fire dispatchers by degree level
| Fire dispatcher degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 36% |
| Associate | 27% |
| High School Diploma | 21% |
| Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 11% |
Fire dispatcher jobs you might like
Fire dispatcher wage gap by degree level
According to the data, fire dispatchers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $39,283 annually. With a Associate degree, fire dispatchers earn a median annual income of $38,953 compared to $37,830 for fire dispatchers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,830 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $39,283 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $38,953 |
Fire dispatcher employment statistics
Most fire dispatchers work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where fire dispatchers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where fire dispatchers work.
Fire dispatcher jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 20% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 42% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 16% |
| > 10,000 employees | 7% |
Fire dispatcher jobs by company type
Employees with the fire dispatcher job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most fire dispatchers prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
Fire dispatcher jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 8% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 33% |
| Government | 55% |
Fire dispatcher jobs by industry
The most common industries for fire dispatchers are government, education and professional.
Fire dispatcher industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 50% |
| Education | 8% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Non Profits | 6% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Utilities | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Media | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
Fire dispatcher turnover and employment statistics
Fire dispatcher unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for fire dispatchers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Fire dispatcher unemployment rate by year
| Year | Fire 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 fire dispatcher tenure
The average fire dispatcher stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 914 fire dispatchers resumes in Zippia's database.
Fire dispatcher tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 21% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 17% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 14% |
Fire dispatcher LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of fire 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 |
|---|---|---|
| General Warehouse | 6.40% | 249,104 |
| Crew Caller | 8.26% | 64,278 |
| Rural Mail Carrier | 9.48% | 21,544 |
| Business Mail Entry Clerk | 10.33% | 126,843 |
| Production Planner | 10.63% | 68,717 |
| Mail Processing Clerk | 11.70% | 106,426 |
| Fire Dispatcher | 17.25% | - |
Similar fire dispatcher jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| General Warehouse | 6.40% | 249,104 |
| Crew Caller | 8.26% | 64,278 |
| Rural Mail Carrier | 9.48% | 21,544 |
| Business Mail Entry Clerk | 10.33% | 126,843 |
| Production Planner | 10.63% | 68,717 |
| Mail Processing Clerk | 11.70% | 106,426 |
Foreign languages spoken by fire dispatchers
The most common foreign language among fire dispatchers is Spanish at 76.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Polish at 5.9% and Carrier is the third-most popular at 5.9%.
- Spanish, 76.5%
- Polish, 5.9%
- Carrier, 5.9%
- French, 5.9%
- Azerbaijani, 5.9%
Fire dispatcher languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 76.5% |
| Polish | 5.9% |
| Carrier | 5.9% |
| French | 5.9% |
| Azerbaijani | 5.9% |
