Best states for a police dispatcher

Q: What is the best state for police dispatchers?

The best state to be a police dispatcher is California based on police dispatcher salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for police dispatchers?

The highest paying state for police dispatchers is South Carolina based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for police dispatchers?

The worst state for police dispatchers is South Carolina, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for police dispatchers in the United States. Police dispatcher positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for police dispatchers.We wanted to look at the best states for police dispatchers -- where there are plenty of police dispatcher jobs to go around and police dispatchers get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.

To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for police dispatchers.We found that the South is best for police dispatchers, and the West is the worst. Philadelphia, PA is the best city in the country for police dispatcher jobs, where as California is the best state in the country.

10 best states for police dispatchers in 2026

1. California
Total police dispatcher jobs: 630
Average annual salary: $47,601
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000
Location Quotient:
1.48
Police dispatcher jobs in California
2. Washington
Total police dispatcher jobs: 112
Average annual salary: $44,588
Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Location Quotient:
1.06
Police dispatcher jobs in Washington
3. Pennsylvania
Total police dispatcher jobs: 105
Average annual salary: $54,492
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000
Location Quotient:
0.62
Police dispatcher jobs in Pennsylvania
4. Wyoming
Total police dispatcher jobs: 7
Average annual salary: $45,884
Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Location Quotient:
0.8
Police dispatcher jobs in Wyoming
5. Nevada
Total police dispatcher jobs: 52
Average annual salary: $40,144
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Location Quotient:
1.71
Police dispatcher jobs in Nevada
6. North Dakota
Total police dispatcher jobs: 14
Average annual salary: $43,064
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000
Location Quotient:
1.04
Police dispatcher jobs in North Dakota
7. Kansas
Total police dispatcher jobs: 46
Average annual salary: $42,343
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Location Quotient:
1.05
Police dispatcher jobs in Kansas
8. Iowa
Total police dispatcher jobs: 37
Average annual salary: $46,440
Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000
Location Quotient:
0.7
Police dispatcher jobs in Iowa
9. Maine
Total police dispatcher jobs: 13
Average annual salary: $48,777
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Location Quotient:
0.67
Police dispatcher jobs in Maine
10. West Virginia
Total police dispatcher jobs: 16
Average annual salary: $44,922
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000
Location Quotient:
0.72
Police dispatcher jobs in West Virginia

Police dispatcher jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a police dispatcher

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a police dispatcher

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	California	$47,601	$34,000	39,536,653	630
2	Washington	$44,588	$35,000	7,405,743	112
3	Pennsylvania	$54,492	$39,000	12,805,537	105
4	Wyoming	$45,884	$35,000	579,315	7
5	Nevada	$40,144	$29,000	2,998,039	52
6	North Dakota	$43,064	$34,000	755,393	14
7	Kansas	$42,343	$31,000	2,913,123	46
8	Iowa	$46,440	$35,000	3,145,711	37
9	Maine	$48,777	$39,000	1,335,907	13
10	West Virginia	$44,922	$32,000	1,815,857	16
11	Minnesota	$46,667	$36,000	5,576,606	63
12	Rhode Island	$42,497	$32,000	1,059,639	16
13	Alaska	$39,952	$35,000	739,795	42
14	New Hampshire	$42,920	$33,000	1,342,795	23
15	Colorado	$41,528	$31,000	5,607,154	102
16	Utah	$40,051	$30,000	3,101,833	51
17	Wisconsin	$41,232	$31,000	5,795,483	66
18	Montana	$36,952	$29,000	1,050,493	50
19	District of Columbia	$40,236	$28,000	693,972	32
20	Connecticut	$43,575	$32,000	3,588,184	22
21	Vermont	$42,408	$34,000	623,657	7
22	Massachusetts	$40,597	$31,000	6,859,819	119
23	Arizona	$36,435	$26,000	7,016,270	109
24	Oregon	$38,215	$29,000	4,142,776	58
25	Delaware	$41,256	$29,000	961,939	10
26	New Jersey	$39,609	$28,000	9,005,644	94
27	New Mexico	$33,872	$24,000	2,088,070	37
28	Maryland	$36,095	$25,000	6,052,177	113
29	South Dakota	$36,712	$28,000	869,666	10
30	Nebraska	$36,283	$27,000	1,920,076	24
31	Michigan	$36,546	$27,000	9,962,311	79
32	New York	$39,705	$29,000	19,849,399	109
33	Indiana	$33,908	$25,000	6,666,818	90
34	Idaho	$34,308	$26,000	1,716,943	20
35	Virginia	$31,830	$22,000	8,470,020	177
36	Tennessee	$29,361	$21,000	6,715,984	101
37	North Carolina	$31,283	$22,000	10,273,419	136
38	Hawaii	$30,374	$21,000	1,427,538	25
39	Illinois	$35,919	$26,000	12,802,023	118
40	Ohio	$30,172	$22,000	11,658,609	140
41	Missouri	$29,633	$22,000	6,113,532	94
42	Oklahoma	$28,385	$20,000	3,930,864	46
43	Texas	$28,782	$20,000	28,304,596	286
44	Florida	$27,459	$19,000	20,984,400	276
45	Louisiana	$27,138	$19,000	4,684,333	53
46	Arkansas	$31,507	$23,000	3,004,279	21
47	Alabama	$28,193	$20,000	4,874,747	52
48	Mississippi	$28,687	$20,000	2,984,100	22
49	Kentucky	$27,424	$20,000	4,454,189	43
50	Georgia	$26,532	$19,000	10,429,379	134
51	South Carolina	$23,937	$17,000	5,024,369	49

Highest paying states for police dispatchers

Rank	State	Avg. Police Dispatcher Salary
1	California	$47,601
2	Washington	$44,588
3	Pennsylvania	$54,492
4	Wyoming	$45,884
5	Nevada	$40,144
6	North Dakota	$43,064
7	Kansas	$42,343
8	Iowa	$46,440
9	Maine	$48,777
10	West Virginia	$44,922
11	Minnesota	$46,667
12	Rhode Island	$42,497
13	Alaska	$39,952
14	New Hampshire	$42,920
15	Colorado	$41,528
16	Utah	$40,051
17	Wisconsin	$41,232
18	Montana	$36,952
19	District of Columbia	$40,236
20	Connecticut	$43,575
21	Vermont	$42,408
22	Massachusetts	$40,597
23	Arizona	$36,435
24	Oregon	$38,215
25	Delaware	$41,256
26	New Jersey	$39,609
27	New Mexico	$33,872
28	Maryland	$36,095
29	South Dakota	$36,712
30	Nebraska	$36,283
31	Michigan	$36,546
32	New York	$39,705
33	Indiana	$33,908
34	Idaho	$34,308
35	Virginia	$31,830
36	Tennessee	$29,361
37	North Carolina	$31,283
38	Hawaii	$30,374
39	Illinois	$35,919
40	Ohio	$30,172
41	Missouri	$29,633
42	Oklahoma	$28,385
43	Texas	$28,782
44	Florida	$27,459
45	Louisiana	$27,138
46	Arkansas	$31,507
47	Alabama	$28,193
48	Mississippi	$28,687
49	Kentucky	$27,424
50	Georgia	$26,532
51	South Carolina	$23,937

Police dispatcher best states FAQs

What is the best state for police dispatchers?

What is the highest paying state for police dispatchers?

What is the worst state for police dispatchers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common office and administrative questions.

Search for police dispatcher jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse office and administrative jobs

Total police dispatcher jobs:	630
Average annual salary:	$47,601
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$34,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$66,000
Location Quotient:	1.48

Best states for a police dispatcher

10 best states for police dispatchers in 2026

1. California

2. Washington

3. Pennsylvania

4. Wyoming

5. Nevada

6. North Dakota

7. Kansas

8. Iowa

9. Maine

10. West Virginia