Public safety telecommunicator vs radio dispatcher

The differences between public safety telecommunicators and radio dispatchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a public safety telecommunicator has an average salary of $40,955, which is higher than the $35,529 average annual salary of a radio dispatcher.

The top three skills for a public safety telecommunicator include computer aided dispatch, CAD and criminal justice. The most important skills for a radio dispatcher are computer aided dispatch, patrol, and emergency situations.

Public safety telecommunicator vs radio dispatcher overview

	Public Safety Telecommunicator	Radio Dispatcher
Yearly salary	$40,955	$35,529
Hourly rate	$19.69	$17.08
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	21,538	6,830
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	-	-

Public safety telecommunicator vs radio dispatcher salary

Public safety telecommunicators and radio dispatchers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Public Safety Telecommunicator	Radio Dispatcher
Average salary	$40,955	$35,529
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $58,000	Between $27,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	Elmhurst, IL	-
Highest paying state	Oregon	-
Best paying company	Rowan University	-
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between public safety telecommunicator and radio dispatcher education

There are a few differences between a public safety telecommunicator and a radio dispatcher in terms of educational background:

	Public Safety Telecommunicator	Radio Dispatcher
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Public safety telecommunicator vs radio dispatcher demographics

Here are the differences between public safety telecommunicators' and radio dispatchers' demographics:

	Public Safety Telecommunicator	Radio Dispatcher
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 50.5% Female, 49.5%	Male, 44.5% Female, 55.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 0.9% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 0.9% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	17%	17%

Differences between public safety telecommunicator and radio dispatcher duties and responsibilities

Public safety telecommunicator example responsibilities.

Manage truck and equipment inventory, rental tracking and GPS monitoring.
Certify in CPR and TTY/TDD phone calls.
Assist in patrol of campus during evening hours.
Receive and transmit radio communication to law enforcement agencies and police patrol cars for appropriate action.
Answer emergency calls/dispatch police fire and sheriff, enter and cancel stolen property and vehicles, run criminal history
Handle incoming calls in a busy AAA roadside service call center.

Radio dispatcher example responsibilities.

Manage customer service satisfaction by providing update eta and location of drivers.
Enter, clear and update records NCIC system.
Dispatch and coordinate response of private arm patrol by radio.
Perform booking procedures which consist of fingerprinting, checking NCIC computer for further charges or warrants.
Discuss cable television equipment operation with customers over telephone to explain equipment usage and to troubleshoot equipment problems.
Certify by APCO as a nationally recognize emergency dispatcher.

Public safety telecommunicator vs radio dispatcher skills

Common public safety telecommunicator skills

Computer Aided Dispatch, 17%
CAD, 10%
Criminal Justice, 8%
Emergency Situations, 8%
Patrol, 8%
Data Entry, 6%

Common radio dispatcher skills

Computer Aided Dispatch, 17%
Patrol, 12%
Emergency Situations, 10%
CAD, 9%
Telephone Calls, 8%
Non-Emergency Calls, 8%

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Public Safety Telecommunicator
Public Safety Telecommunicator vs Radio Dispatcher

Updated January 8, 2025

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