Public safety dispatcher demographics and statistics in the US
Public safety dispatcher demographics research summary. Zippia estimates public safety dispatcher demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our public safety 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 public safety dispatchers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 46,961 public safety dispatchers currently employed in the United States.
- 62.4% of all public safety dispatchers are women, while 37.6% are men.
- The average public safety dispatcher age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of public safety dispatchers is White (72.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (11.1%), Black or African American (9.1%) and Unknown (6.0%).
- Public safety dispatchers are most in-demand in Long Beach, CA.
- The government industry is the highest-paying for public safety dispatchers.
- Berkeley, CA pays an annual average wage of $49,781, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women public safety dispatchers earned 98% of what men earned.
- 17% of all public safety dispatchers are LGBT.
- California is the best state for public safety dispatchers to live.
- Public safety dispatchers are 45% more likely to work at government companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Public safety dispatcher demographics by:
Public safety dispatcher gender statistics
62.4% of public safety dispatchers are women and 37.6% of public safety dispatchers are men.
- Female, 62.4%
- Male, 37.6%
Public safety dispatcher gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 62.4% |
| Male | 37.6% |
Public safety dispatcher gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$36,098
Female income
$35,291
Public safety dispatcher gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in public safety dispatcher positions over time. Currently, 62.4% of public safety dispatchers are female.
Public safety dispatcher gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 49.47% | 50.53% |
| 2011 | 49.89% | 50.11% |
| 2012 | 48.50% | 51.50% |
| 2013 | 50.58% | 49.42% |
| 2014 | 47.96% | 52.04% |
| 2015 | 51.46% | 48.54% |
| 2016 | 50.50% | 49.50% |
| 2017 | 49.25% | 50.75% |
| 2018 | 36.21% | 63.79% |
| 2019 | 38.73% | 61.27% |
| 2020 | 32.90% | 67.10% |
| 2021 | 37.58% | 62.42% |
Public safety dispatcher related jobs gender ratio
We compared public safety 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% |
| Public Safety Dispatcher | 38% | 62% |
| 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%
Public safety dispatcher demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among public safety dispatchers is White, which makes up 72.1% of all public safety dispatchers. Comparatively, 11.1% of public safety dispatchers are Hispanic or Latino and 9.1% of public safety 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%
Public safety dispatcher race
| Public safety 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% |
Public safety dispatcher race and ethnicity over time
See how public safety dispatcher racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Public safety 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% |
Public safety dispatcher wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino public safety dispatchers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american public safety dispatchers have the lowest average salary at $35,740.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $35,969 |
| White | $35,802 |
| Black or African American | $35,740 |
| Asian | $36,412 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $36,573 |
Average public safety dispatcher age
See how the average age of public safety dispatchers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Public safety 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 |
Public safety dispatcher age breakdown
The average age of public safety dispatchers is 40+ years years old, representing 46% of the public safety dispatcher population.
Public safety dispatcher age breakdown
| Public Safety Dispatcher Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 46% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Public safety dispatcher educational attainment
The most common degree for public safety dispatchers is bachelor's degree, with 40% of public safety dispatchers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 29% and associate degree degree at 17%.
- Bachelor's, 40%
- Associate, 29%
- High School Diploma, 17%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Public safety dispatchers by degree level
| Public safety dispatcher degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 40% |
| Associate | 29% |
| High School Diploma | 17% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Public safety dispatcher jobs you might like
Public safety dispatcher wage gap by degree level
According to the data, public safety dispatchers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $36,745 annually. With a Associate degree, public safety dispatchers earn a median annual income of $36,445 compared to $35,419 for public safety dispatchers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $35,419 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $36,745 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $36,445 |
Public safety dispatcher employment statistics
Most public safety dispatchers work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where public safety dispatchers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where public safety dispatchers work.
Public safety dispatcher jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 14% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 36% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 26% |
| > 10,000 employees | 8% |
Public safety dispatcher jobs by company type
Employees with the public safety dispatcher job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most public safety dispatchers prefer to work at government companies over education companies.
Public safety dispatcher jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 31% |
| Public | 1% |
| Private | 22% |
| Government | 45% |
Public safety dispatcher jobs by industry
The most common industries for public safety dispatchers are government, education and health care.
Public safety dispatcher industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 43% |
| Education | 31% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Utilities | 3% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Public safety dispatcher turnover and employment statistics
Public safety dispatcher unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for public safety dispatchers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Public safety dispatcher unemployment rate by year
| Year | Public safety 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 public safety dispatcher tenure
The average public safety dispatcher stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,191 public safety dispatchers resumes in Zippia's database.
Public safety dispatcher tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 21% |
| 1-2 years | 26% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 18% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
Public safety dispatcher LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of public safety 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Order Filler | 6.40% | 194,374 |
| Message Clerk | 8.26% | 66,319 |
| Special Delivery Messenger | 9.48% | 11,551 |
| Mail Caller | 10.33% | 18,328 |
| Material Controller | 10.63% | 93,578 |
| Sorter Operator | 11.70% | 48,336 |
| Public Safety Dispatcher | 17.25% | - |
Similar public safety dispatcher jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Order Filler | 6.40% | 194,374 |
| Message Clerk | 8.26% | 66,319 |
| Special Delivery Messenger | 9.48% | 11,551 |
| Mail Caller | 10.33% | 18,328 |
| Material Controller | 10.63% | 93,578 |
| Sorter Operator | 11.70% | 48,336 |
Foreign languages spoken by public safety dispatchers
The most common foreign language among public safety dispatchers is Spanish at 75.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 3.7% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 3.7%.
- Spanish, 75.9%
- French, 3.7%
- Arabic, 3.7%
- Hebrew, 1.9%
- Somali, 1.9%
- Other, 12.9%
Public safety dispatcher languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 75.9% |
| French | 3.7% |
| Arabic | 3.7% |
| Hebrew | 1.9% |
| Somali | 1.9% |
| Other | 12.9% |
