Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance salary in the U.S.
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance in the U.S. earn a median of $50,340 a year ($24.20 an hour), based on BLS data for 202,810 workers.
Pay ranges from $36,030 for the lowest-paid 10% to $78,140 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $54,740, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,030 | $17.32 |
| 25th percentile | $42,750 | $20.56 |
| Median | $50,340 | $24.20 |
| 75th percentile | $62,450 | $30.02 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $78,140 | $37.57 |
| Average (mean) | $54,740 | $26.32 |
Half of dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,195 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,097.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,936.15 |
| Weekly | $968.08 |
| Hourly | $24.20 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $50,340 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $72,260 | 300 |
| Washington | $59,330 | 4,920 |
| Minnesota | $59,220 | 2,760 |
| North Dakota | $57,580 | 600 |
| Illinois | $57,240 | n/a |
| Delaware | $57,170 | 670 |
| Alaska | $56,730 | 570 |
| Vermont | $56,360 | 260 |
| New York | $55,810 | 11,160 |
| Massachusetts | $55,690 | 3,510 |
| Maine | $55,150 | 670 |
| Oregon | $54,980 | 3,290 |
| New Jersey | $54,590 | 6,420 |
| Colorado | $54,070 | 3,470 |
| Nebraska | $53,880 | 1,500 |
| New Hampshire | $52,770 | 710 |
| Hawaii | $52,570 | 950 |
| California | $52,350 | 23,970 |
| Wisconsin | $52,350 | 3,240 |
| Missouri | $51,410 | 4,340 |
| Maryland | $51,350 | 3,310 |
| Utah | $51,010 | 2,040 |
| Virginia | $50,710 | 5,830 |
| Ohio | $50,320 | 5,720 |
| Indiana | $50,060 | 4,090 |
| Kentucky | $49,990 | 2,440 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,960 | 6,670 |
| Idaho | $49,660 | 1,430 |
| Tennessee | $49,660 | 4,190 |
| Michigan | $49,490 | 5,390 |
| Rhode Island | $49,320 | 530 |
| Georgia | $49,180 | 6,190 |
| Alabama | $48,790 | 1,780 |
| Wyoming | $48,690 | 240 |
| North Carolina | $48,230 | 5,740 |
| Connecticut | $47,960 | 2,220 |
| Nevada | $47,920 | 2,840 |
| Arizona | $47,880 | 5,690 |
| South Carolina | $47,550 | 2,440 |
| Texas | $47,320 | 23,920 |
| Kansas | $47,170 | 1,670 |
| Montana | $47,140 | 810 |
| Arkansas | $47,130 | 1,780 |
| Louisiana | $47,050 | 2,980 |
| Iowa | $47,000 | 1,460 |
| West Virginia | $46,620 | 880 |
| Florida | $45,880 | 12,550 |
| Mississippi | $45,660 | 2,000 |
| Oklahoma | $44,950 | 2,180 |
| New Mexico | $43,960 | 1,350 |
| South Dakota | $43,920 | 860 |
| Guam | $39,630 | 130 |
| Virgin Islands | $33,870 | 30 |
| Puerto Rico | $24,750 | 740 |
Best-paying metro areas for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $64,890 | 100 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $62,130 | 80 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | $61,260 | 150 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $60,890 | 120 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $60,780 | 720 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $59,560 | 1,770 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $59,510 | 110 |
| Lebanon, PA | $59,390 | 50 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $59,340 | 2,950 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $59,160 | 60 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $59,020 | 70 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $58,900 | n/a |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $58,710 | 120 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $58,690 | 90 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $58,670 | 2,080 |
Metro areas with the most dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 11,590 | $58,180 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 7,700 | $52,170 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 7,170 | $48,030 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 5,720 | $48,550 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 4,200 | $48,280 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 3,690 | $48,930 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 3,550 | $45,980 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 3,540 | $57,160 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 3,430 | $51,170 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 3,250 | $52,000 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 3,010 | $58,610 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,950 | $59,340 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 2,440 | $56,560 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 2,310 | $50,600 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 2,290 | $45,180 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | $45,260 | $21.76 |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $59,650 | $28.68 |
| Postal Service Mail Carrier | $60,550 | $29.11 |
| Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators | $58,470 | $28.11 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | $53,040 | $25.50 |
| Cargo and Freight Agents | $52,260 | $25.13 |
| Postal Service Clerk | $62,130 | $29.87 |
| Couriers and Messengers | $39,200 | $18.85 |
| Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping | $46,380 | $22.30 |
| Meter Readers, Utilities | $48,150 | $23.15 |
| Customer Service Representative | $44,770 | $21.53 |
| Office Clerks, General | $45,010 | $21.64 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,540 | $22.86 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $69,500 | $33.41 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 43-5032. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance make in the U.S.?
The median salary for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance in the U.S. is $50,340 a year, or $24.20 an hour. Pay ranges from $36,030 for the lowest-paid 10% to $78,140 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance in the U.S. earn at least $78,140 a year. The top 25% earn $62,450 or more.
What is the starting pay for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $36,030 a year, and a quarter of dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance earn $42,750 or less.
How many dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance work in the U.S.?
About 202,810 dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.