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Public safety dispatcher salary
Average public safety dispatcher salary
$35,063
Understanding Public Safety Dispatcher Salaries
The average salary for a Public Safety Dispatcher stands at $35,063 per year. However, this figure can vary significantly based on geographic location, years of experience, and the specific agency or organization. For instance, states like California and Texas often present higher salary ranges due to the cost of living and demand for skilled dispatchers.
Factors Influencing Salary
Experience is a key determinant in salary levels. Entry-level dispatchers may start at lower salaries, while those with several years of experience can earn significantly more. Additionally, specialized training or certifications can lead to higher pay. Here’s a brief overview of how salaries can vary:
- Entry-Level: $30,000 - $35,000
- Mid-Level: $35,000 - $45,000
- Experienced: $45,000 - $60,000+
By understanding these dynamics, prospective dispatchers can better gauge their earning potential and make informed career decisions. For those seeking advancement, pursuing roles in higher-demand areas or obtaining additional certifications can lead to increased compensation.
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Where can a Public Safety Dispatcher earn more?
Public safety dispatcher salaries by experience level
Public safety dispatcher salary estimates from across the web
Average public safety dispatcher salary by state
The average public safety dispatcher salary in Pennsylvania, California, and Maine are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average public safety dispatcher salary states are Florida, Louisiana, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for public safety dispatchers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $46,308 | $22.26 |
| 2 | Maine | $46,176 | $22.20 |
| 3 | Wyoming | $42,071 | $20.23 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $50,695 | $24.37 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $39,762 | $19.12 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $40,324 | $19.39 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $44,055 | $21.18 |
| 8 | Washington | $41,955 | $20.17 |
| 9 | Iowa | $37,882 | $18.21 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $40,919 | $19.67 |
| 11 | Nevada | $36,063 | $17.34 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $41,980 | $20.18 |
| 13 | Vermont | $40,116 | $19.29 |
| 14 | Kansas | $38,748 | $18.63 |
| 15 | Montana | $34,870 | $16.76 |
| 16 | Alaska | $36,570 | $17.58 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $37,478 | $18.02 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $36,803 | $17.69 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $40,622 | $19.53 |
| 20 | Oregon | $35,855 | $17.24 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $38,053 | $18.29 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $38,561 | $18.54 |
| 23 | New York | $36,925 | $17.75 |
| 24 | Colorado | $36,941 | $17.76 |
| 25 | Michigan | $34,397 | $16.54 |
| 26 | Delaware | $38,540 | $18.53 |
| 27 | Virginia | $33,590 | $16.15 |
| 28 | Missouri | $31,509 | $15.15 |
| 29 | Indiana | $31,655 | $15.22 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $34,145 | $16.42 |
| 31 | Illinois | $33,361 | $16.04 |
| 32 | Arizona | $31,053 | $14.93 |
| 33 | Idaho | $31,658 | $15.22 |
| 34 | Maryland | $33,981 | $16.34 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $26,765 | $12.87 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $33,439 | $16.08 |
| 37 | Alabama | $26,264 | $12.63 |
| 38 | Utah | $29,504 | $14.18 |
| 39 | Florida | $25,644 | $12.33 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $26,335 | $12.66 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $30,478 | $14.65 |
| 42 | Texas | $28,930 | $13.91 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $25,792 | $12.40 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $25,770 | $12.39 |
| 45 | Georgia | $24,767 | $11.91 |
| 46 | Ohio | $28,066 | $13.49 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $26,617 | $12.80 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $22,485 | $10.81 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $24,728 | $11.89 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $25,117 | $12.08 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $19,840 | $9.54 |
Highest paying cities for public safety dispatchers
The highest-paying cities for public safety dispatchers are Berkeley, CA, Rochester, MN, and Morgantown, WV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkeley, CA | $49,781 | $23.93 |
| 2 | Rochester, MN | $43,506 | $20.92 |
| 3 | Morgantown, WV | $43,026 | $20.69 |
| 4 | Dover, NH | $40,284 | $19.37 |
| 5 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $38,129 | $18.33 |
| 6 | Framingham, MA | $38,105 | $18.32 |
| 7 | Rochester, NY | $37,241 | $17.90 |
| 8 | Denver, CO | $36,982 | $17.78 |
| 9 | Las Vegas, NV | $35,692 | $17.16 |
| 10 | Bowie, MD | $33,782 | $16.24 |
| 11 | Omaha, NE | $33,629 | $16.17 |
| 12 | Fort Wayne, IN | $32,504 | $15.63 |
| 13 | Lake Havasu City, AZ | $32,456 | $15.60 |
| 14 | Meridian, ID | $31,635 | $15.21 |
| 15 | Logan, UT | $29,957 | $14.40 |
| 16 | Lewisville, TX | $29,221 | $14.05 |
| 17 | Fort Myers, FL | $25,606 | $12.31 |
| 18 | Edmond, OK | $24,759 | $11.90 |
| 19 | Little Rock, AR | $19,500 | $9.38 |
Public safety dispatcher salary details
A public safety dispatcher's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $46,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a public safety dispatcher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| 75th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| Average | $35,063 | $2,922 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
Highest paying public safety dispatcher jobs
The highest paying types of public safety dispatchers are emergency dispatch operator, communications officer, and 911 operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Telecommunication Operator | $39,381 | $3,282 | $18.93 | 34,218 |
| Call Taker | $38,776 | $3,231 | $18.64 | 11,539 |
| Communications Operator | $31,491 | $2,624 | $15.14 | 48,509 |
| Telecommunicator | $39,327 | $3,277 | $18.91 | 4,083 |
| Communications Officer | $40,161 | $3,347 | $19.31 | 73,260 |
| Operations/Dispatch | $39,483 | $3,290 | $18.98 | 60,313 |
Top companies hiring public safety dispatchers now:
Which companies pay public safety dispatchers the most?
Public safety dispatcher salaries at City of San Jos and University of California, Berkeley are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average public safety dispatcher salary at companies like University of California and University of Rochester are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City of San Jos | $69,536 | $33.43 |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley | $46,115 | $22.17 |
| 3 | University of California | $43,476 | $20.90 |
| 4 | University of Rochester | $42,542 | $20.45 |
| 5 | Minnesota State Fair | $42,346 | $20.36 |
| 6 | Town of Lexington | $42,239 | $20.31 |
| 7 | City of Santa Barbara | $41,854 | $20.12 |
| 8 | City of Livermore | $41,516 | $19.96 |
| 9 | City of Oxnard | $41,202 | $19.81 |
| 10 | City of Laguna Beach | $41,132 | $19.77 |
| 11 | City of Atwater | $41,110 | $19.76 |
| 12 | Syracuse University | $41,107 | $19.76 |
| 13 | City of Berkeley | $40,912 | $19.67 |
| 14 | Canisius College | $40,734 | $19.58 |
| 15 | University of Southern California | $40,459 | $19.45 |
| 16 | City of Renton | $40,212 | $19.33 |
| 17 | Washington County | $40,180 | $19.32 |
| 18 | Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City | $40,161 | $19.31 |
| 19 | City of Huntsville | $40,141 | $19.30 |
| 20 | University of Nevada, Reno | $40,050 | $19.25 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Public Safety Dispatcher salary by industry
The average public safety dispatcher salary varies across industries:
- The average public safety dispatcher salary in the government industry is $39,953, the highest of any industry.
- The average public safety dispatcher salary in the finance industry is $34,288.
- Public safety dispatchers in the utilities industry earn an average salary of $32,175, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for public safety dispatchers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $39,953 | $19.21 |
| 2 | Education | $34,288 | $16.48 |
| 3 | Hospitality | $32,819 | $15.78 |
| 4 | Health Care | $32,287 | $15.52 |
| 5 | Utilities | $32,175 | $15.47 |
High paying public safety dispatcher jobs
Public safety dispatcher salary trends
The average public safety dispatcher salary has risen by $5,961 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average public safety dispatcher earned $29,102 annually, but today, they earn $35,063 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for public safety dispatchers over the last decade.
Compare public safety dispatcher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average public safety dispatcher salary over time
Compare public safety dispatcher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Public safety dispatcher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $35,100 | $16.86 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $33,900 | $16.32 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | $32,900 | $15.83 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $32,100 | $15.44 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $31,500 | $15.14 | +2.2% |
Recently added public safety dispatcher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Extra Help/He Public Safety Dispatcher | Little Rock, AR | 06/30/2025 | $22,957 |
| Loyola | Public Safety Dispatcher III | Maryland | 06/27/2025 | $40,404 |
| Phoenix Union High School District 210 | SY-Campus Safety Dispatcher (CC #89556) | Pine, AZ | 06/24/2025 | $40,446 |
| Milwaukee Area Technical College | Public Safety Dispatcher (2ND Shift) | Charlotte, NC | 06/23/2025 | $43,097 |
| Washington and Lee University | Public Safety Dispatcher | Lexington, VA | 06/20/2025 | $37,044 |
| Palm Beach State College | Campus Safety Dispatcher | Boca Raton, FL | 06/19/2025 | $33,517 |
| City of Westbrook, Me | Per Diem Public Safety Dispatcher | Westbrook, ME | 06/18/2025 | $55,619 |
| University of Hartford | Public Safety Dispatcher-Swing Shift | West Hartford, CT | 06/16/2025 | $45,476 |
| Emory Healthcare/Emory University | Public Safety Dispatcher | Atlanta, GA | 06/14/2025 | $33,601 |
| City of Chino, Ca | Public Safety Dispatcher I | Chino, CA | 06/13/2025 | $100,000 |
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