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Communications dispatcher salary
Average communications dispatcher salary
$35,153
Understanding the Communications Dispatcher Salary
The average annual salary for a Communications Dispatcher is currently $35,153, translating to about $17 per hour. This figure reflects the baseline earnings within the profession, which can fluctuate depending on various factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specific employer.
Experience Levels and Salary Variations
Entry-level dispatchers may start at lower wages, while those with significant experience or specialized skills can command higher salaries. For instance, dispatchers with over five years in the field often see increases in their pay, reflecting their expertise and reliability.
Top Paying States
Communications Dispatchers in states like California and New York tend to earn higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. It's essential for job seekers to consider these geographic factors when evaluating salary expectations.
Job Opportunities
With the growing need for public safety and emergency services, the demand for Communications Dispatchers is expected to remain strong. Exploring job openings in various sectors can enhance your chances of securing a well-paying position.
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Where can a Communications Dispatcher earn more?
Communications dispatcher salaries by experience level
Communications dispatcher salary estimates from across the web
Average communications dispatcher salary by state
The highest-paying states for communications dispatchers are California, Oregon, and Illinois. The lowest average communications dispatcher salary states are South Carolina, Kentucky, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for communications dispatchers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $46,250 | $22.24 |
| 2 | California | $50,927 | $24.48 |
| 3 | Wyoming | $40,641 | $19.54 |
| 4 | Oregon | $49,261 | $23.68 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $42,689 | $20.52 |
| 6 | Delaware | $39,961 | $19.21 |
| 7 | Vermont | $40,210 | $19.33 |
| 8 | Illinois | $46,935 | $22.56 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $40,886 | $19.66 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $38,682 | $18.60 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $40,610 | $19.52 |
| 12 | Washington | $40,629 | $19.53 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $43,862 | $21.09 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $41,523 | $19.96 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $38,790 | $18.65 |
| 16 | Colorado | $39,542 | $19.01 |
| 17 | New York | $37,934 | $18.24 |
| 18 | Nevada | $36,397 | $17.50 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $37,929 | $18.24 |
| 20 | Kansas | $38,380 | $18.45 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $37,122 | $17.85 |
| 22 | Alaska | $34,670 | $16.67 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $33,047 | $15.89 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $38,291 | $18.41 |
| 25 | Montana | $33,008 | $15.87 |
| 26 | Maryland | $35,157 | $16.90 |
| 27 | Virginia | $34,615 | $16.64 |
| 28 | Michigan | $34,396 | $16.54 |
| 29 | Iowa | $34,383 | $16.53 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $32,838 | $15.79 |
| 31 | Idaho | $30,457 | $14.64 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $30,941 | $14.88 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $32,677 | $15.71 |
| 34 | Arizona | $31,574 | $15.18 |
| 35 | Indiana | $31,724 | $15.25 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $27,425 | $13.19 |
| 37 | Utah | $28,918 | $13.90 |
| 38 | Missouri | $31,323 | $15.06 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $28,882 | $13.89 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $26,980 | $12.97 |
| 41 | Texas | $28,031 | $13.48 |
| 42 | Ohio | $28,437 | $13.67 |
| 43 | Florida | $27,443 | $13.19 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $25,614 | $12.31 |
| 45 | Alabama | $26,636 | $12.81 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $25,725 | $12.37 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $26,400 | $12.69 |
| 48 | Georgia | $25,148 | $12.09 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $25,784 | $12.40 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $19,906 | $9.57 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $24,788 | $11.92 |
Highest paying cities for communications dispatchers
The highest-paying cities for communications dispatchers are Santa Rosa, CA, Portland, OR, and Castle Rock, CO.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Rosa, CA | $54,736 | $26.32 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $49,139 | $23.62 |
| 3 | Castle Rock, CO | $39,421 | $18.95 |
| 4 | Garden City, KS | $37,898 | $18.22 |
| 5 | Rochester, NY | $37,701 | $18.13 |
| 6 | Framingham, MA | $37,159 | $17.86 |
| 7 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $34,698 | $16.68 |
| 8 | Dearborn, MI | $34,438 | $16.56 |
| 9 | Lynchburg, VA | $33,728 | $16.22 |
| 10 | Allentown, PA | $32,937 | $15.84 |
| 11 | Maricopa, AZ | $31,533 | $15.16 |
| 12 | Kansas City, MO | $31,423 | $15.11 |
| 13 | El Paso, TX | $29,668 | $14.26 |
| 14 | Boynton Beach, FL | $27,401 | $13.17 |
| 15 | Enterprise, AL | $25,946 | $12.47 |
| 16 | Memphis, TN | $25,627 | $12.32 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $25,290 | $12.16 |
Communications dispatcher salary details
A communications dispatcher's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $47,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a communications dispatcher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
| 75th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| Average | $35,153 | $2,929 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
Highest paying communications dispatcher jobs
The highest paying types of communications dispatchers are supervisor of communications, emergency dispatch operator, and communications officer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Call Taker | $38,776 | $3,231 | $18.64 | 11,539 |
| Supervisor Of Communications | $63,064 | $5,255 | $30.32 | 16,853 |
| Telecommunicator | $39,327 | $3,277 | $18.91 | 4,083 |
| Dispatcher | $35,328 | $2,944 | $16.98 | 5,818 |
| Fire Dispatcher | $37,441 | $3,120 | $18.00 | 7,959 |
| Security Dispatcher | $33,347 | $2,779 | $16.03 | 82,349 |
Top companies hiring communications dispatchers now:
Which companies pay communications dispatchers the most?
Communications dispatcher salaries at City of Richmond and City of Redwood City are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average communications dispatcher salary at companies like City of Atlanta and Bunker Hill Community College are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City of Richmond | $44,548 | $21.42 |
| 2 | City of Redwood City | $43,878 | $21.10 |
| 3 | City of Atlanta | $43,214 | $20.78 |
| 4 | Bunker Hill Community College | $43,000 | $20.67 |
| 5 | City of Center | $41,401 | $19.90 |
| 6 | CityofBeverlyHills | $40,843 | $19.64 |
| 7 | City of Dearborn | $40,820 | $19.63 |
| 8 | City of Garden City | $40,759 | $19.60 |
| 9 | City of Maricopa | $40,743 | $19.59 |
| 10 | San Bernardino County | $40,523 | $19.48 |
| 11 | Salem State University | $40,504 | $19.47 |
| 12 | County of Riverside | $40,296 | $19.37 |
| 13 | Boynton Beach City Manager | $40,144 | $19.30 |
| 14 | Monroe County | $39,733 | $19.10 |
| 15 | Iowa Department of Transportation | $39,700 | $19.09 |
| 16 | East Bay Regional Park District | $39,532 | $19.01 |
| 17 | MCLA | $38,879 | $18.69 |
| 18 | Framingham State University | $37,998 | $18.27 |
| 19 | City of Menlo Park | $36,372 | $17.49 |
| 20 | Tenet Healthcare | $35,102 | $16.88 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Communications Dispatcher salary by industry
The average communications dispatcher salary varies across industries:
- The average communications dispatcher salary in the government industry is $37,886, the highest of any industry.
- The average communications dispatcher salary in the finance industry is $33,850.
- Communications dispatchers in the utilities industry earn an average salary of $31,935, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for communications dispatchers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $37,886 | $18.21 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $33,850 | $16.27 |
| 3 | Health Care | $33,390 | $16.05 |
| 4 | Education | $32,169 | $15.47 |
| 5 | Utilities | $31,935 | $15.35 |
High paying communications dispatcher jobs
Communications dispatcher salary trends
The average communications dispatcher salary has risen by $5,977 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average communications dispatcher earned $29,176 annually, but today, they earn $35,153 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for communications dispatchers over the last decade.
Compare communications dispatcher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average communications dispatcher salary over time
Compare communications dispatcher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Communications dispatcher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $35,200 | $16.90 | +3.2% |
| 2025 | $34,000 | $16.36 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $33,000 | $15.87 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $32,200 | $15.48 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $31,600 | $15.17 | +2.2% |
Recently added communications dispatcher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worlds of Fun | Communications Dispatcher | Kansas City, MO | 06/30/2025 | $29,218 |
| Washington University In St. Louis | Dispatcher-Communications | Saint Louis, MO | 06/27/2025 | $44,182 |
| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | Communications Dispatcher-Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | North Adams, MA | 06/26/2025 | $43,827 |
| Washington University In St. Louis | Dispatcher-Communications | Ione, WA | 06/26/2025 | $44,182 |
| Bristol Community College | Communications Dispatcher I-Bristol Community College | Fall River, MA | 06/25/2025 | $42,909 |
| Marathon County Social Services | 911 Communications Dispatcher | Wausau, WI | 06/21/2025 | $49,525 |
| Royal Ambulance | Communications Dispatcher (Night/Overnight) | San Leandro, CA | 06/09/2025 | $54,262 |
| Alamo Complex Management | Alamo Ranger Communications Dispatcher | San Antonio, TX | 06/04/2025 | $37,566 |
| Cedar Point | Security Communications Dispatcher | Lorain, OH | 05/28/2025 | $33,392 |
| Bristol Community College | Communications Dispatcher I-Bristol Community College | Fall River, MA | 05/28/2025 | $42,909 |
Communications dispatcher salary FAQs
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