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Best states for a public safety dispatcher
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you thinking of becoming a public safety dispatcher and really want to work at California Highway Patrol? Turns out, your chances to become a public safety dispatcher are better in some states than others.Our research shows that California is the best state in the country for public safety dispatchers.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for public safety dispatchers. California is the best state for public safety dispatchers, where the median salary is $46,308.We found that the South is best for public safety dispatchers, and the Northeast is the worst. Berkeley, CA is the best city in the country for public safety dispatcher jobs, where as California is the best state in the country.
10 best states for public safety dispatchers in 2026
1. California
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 1,622 Average annual salary: $46,308 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 1.26
2. Maine
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 53 Average annual salary: $46,176 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
3. Wyoming
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 26 Average annual salary: $42,071 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
4. Pennsylvania
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 428 Average annual salary: $50,695 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
5. Rhode Island
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 55 Average annual salary: $39,762 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
6. New Hampshire
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 71 Average annual salary: $40,324 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 0.92
7. Minnesota
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 187 Average annual salary: $44,055 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 0.64
8. Washington
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 262 Average annual salary: $41,955 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 0.82
9. Iowa
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 150 Average annual salary: $37,882 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
10. North Dakota
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 31 Average annual salary: $40,919 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
Public safety dispatcher jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a public safety dispatcher
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a public safety dispatcher
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $46,308 | $32,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,622 |
| 2 | Maine | $46,176 | $37,000 | 1,335,907 | 53 |
| 3 | Wyoming | $42,071 | $31,000 | 579,315 | 26 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $50,695 | $36,000 | 12,805,537 | 428 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $39,762 | $30,000 | 1,059,639 | 55 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $40,324 | $31,000 | 1,342,795 | 71 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $44,055 | $33,000 | 5,576,606 | 187 |
| 8 | Washington | $41,955 | $32,000 | 7,405,743 | 262 |
| 9 | Iowa | $37,882 | $27,000 | 3,145,711 | 150 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $40,919 | $32,000 | 755,393 | 31 |
| 11 | Nevada | $36,063 | $25,000 | 2,998,039 | 125 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $41,980 | $30,000 | 1,815,857 | 42 |
| 13 | Vermont | $40,116 | $32,000 | 623,657 | 29 |
| 14 | Kansas | $38,748 | $28,000 | 2,913,123 | 107 |
| 15 | Montana | $34,870 | $27,000 | 1,050,493 | 80 |
| 16 | Alaska | $36,570 | $31,000 | 739,795 | 51 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $37,478 | $26,000 | 693,972 | 159 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $36,803 | $26,000 | 9,005,644 | 383 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $40,622 | $30,000 | 3,588,184 | 109 |
| 20 | Oregon | $35,855 | $27,000 | 4,142,776 | 197 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $38,053 | $29,000 | 6,859,819 | 377 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $38,561 | $28,000 | 5,795,483 | 177 |
| 23 | New York | $36,925 | $27,000 | 19,849,399 | 533 |
| 24 | Colorado | $36,941 | $27,000 | 5,607,154 | 243 |
| 25 | Michigan | $34,397 | $25,000 | 9,962,311 | 332 |
| 26 | Delaware | $38,540 | $27,000 | 961,939 | 35 |
| 27 | Virginia | $33,590 | $23,000 | 8,470,020 | 499 |
| 28 | Missouri | $31,509 | $22,000 | 6,113,532 | 264 |
| 29 | Indiana | $31,655 | $22,000 | 6,666,818 | 262 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $34,145 | $25,000 | 869,666 | 29 |
| 31 | Illinois | $33,361 | $24,000 | 12,802,023 | 454 |
| 32 | Arizona | $31,053 | $21,000 | 7,016,270 | 248 |
| 33 | Idaho | $31,658 | $24,000 | 1,716,943 | 65 |
| 34 | Maryland | $33,981 | $24,000 | 6,052,177 | 248 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $26,765 | $19,000 | 10,273,419 | 583 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $33,439 | $24,000 | 1,920,076 | 58 |
| 37 | Alabama | $26,264 | $18,000 | 4,874,747 | 215 |
| 38 | Utah | $29,504 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 126 |
| 39 | Florida | $25,644 | $18,000 | 20,984,400 | 823 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $26,335 | $18,000 | 6,715,984 | 263 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $30,478 | $21,000 | 2,088,070 | 69 |
| 42 | Texas | $28,930 | $19,000 | 28,304,596 | 808 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $25,792 | $18,000 | 4,454,189 | 164 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $25,770 | $17,000 | 1,427,538 | 41 |
| 45 | Georgia | $24,767 | $17,000 | 10,429,379 | 532 |
| 46 | Ohio | $28,066 | $20,000 | 11,658,609 | 348 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $26,617 | $18,000 | 2,984,100 | 70 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $22,485 | $16,000 | 5,024,369 | 193 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $24,728 | $17,000 | 3,930,864 | 118 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $25,117 | $17,000 | 4,684,333 | 113 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $19,840 | $14,000 | 3,004,279 | 87 |
Highest paying states for public safety dispatchers
| Rank | State | Avg. Public Safety Dispatcher Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $46,308 |
| 2 | Maine | $46,176 |
| 3 | Wyoming | $42,071 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $50,695 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $39,762 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $40,324 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $44,055 |
| 8 | Washington | $41,955 |
| 9 | Iowa | $37,882 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $40,919 |
| 11 | Nevada | $36,063 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $41,980 |
| 13 | Vermont | $40,116 |
| 14 | Kansas | $38,748 |
| 15 | Montana | $34,870 |
| 16 | Alaska | $36,570 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $37,478 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $36,803 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $40,622 |
| 20 | Oregon | $35,855 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $38,053 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $38,561 |
| 23 | New York | $36,925 |
| 24 | Colorado | $36,941 |
| 25 | Michigan | $34,397 |
| 26 | Delaware | $38,540 |
| 27 | Virginia | $33,590 |
| 28 | Missouri | $31,509 |
| 29 | Indiana | $31,655 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $34,145 |
| 31 | Illinois | $33,361 |
| 32 | Arizona | $31,053 |
| 33 | Idaho | $31,658 |
| 34 | Maryland | $33,981 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $26,765 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $33,439 |
| 37 | Alabama | $26,264 |
| 38 | Utah | $29,504 |
| 39 | Florida | $25,644 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $26,335 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $30,478 |
| 42 | Texas | $28,930 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $25,792 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $25,770 |
| 45 | Georgia | $24,767 |
| 46 | Ohio | $28,066 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $26,617 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $22,485 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $24,728 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $25,117 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $19,840 |
Public safety dispatcher best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025