43 Series · SOC 43-5032

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$50,340
Median / year
+3%
2024→2025
$78,140
Top 10% earn
-0.9%
Growth '24–'34
202,810
Estimated US jobs

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance earn a median of $50,340 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $50,340, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $36,030 (10th percentile) to $78,140 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 202,810 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is District of Columbia ($72,260).

43 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance earn a median of $50,340, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 34% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Office and Administrative Support, it ranks #20 of 54 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 0.9% by 2034.

$50,340
Median annual wage
Top 66%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#20 of 54
in Office and Administrative Support
2.2×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $72,260. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance moved from $40,190 in May 2019 to $50,340 in May 2025 (+25.3%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance sits +0.8 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance (SOC 43-5032) has a national median of $50,340 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $36,030 to $78,140, and the published mean is $54,740. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 202,810 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 54 state or territory areas and 510 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $48,880 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $50,340 in May 2025, a rise of $1,460 (+3%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -0.9% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 18,500 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Office and Administrative Support Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $72,260, which is +44% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA at $64,890. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 202,810 jobs Median $50,340/yr

Median Salary

$50,340

per year

Median Hourly

$24.20/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$54,740

average

Employment

202,810

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$50,340 Bottom 34% higher than 34% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 (this entry) 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$50,340 · 34th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 43-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 23 43-series occupations with growth data, Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance sits on the slower-growing side at -0.9% growth and $50,340 median pay. Scatter plot of 23 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -20%-15%-10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Customer Service Rep… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -5.5% · Median annual wage: $44770Office Clerks, General - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6.7% · Median annual wage: $45010Secretaries and Admi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.6% · Median annual wage: $47540First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.3% · Median annual wage: $69500Bookkeeping, Account… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -5.8% · Median annual wage: $50670Medical Secretaries … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.2% · Median annual wage: $45930Shipping, Receiving,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -7.7% · Median annual wage: $45260Executive Secretarie… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.6% · Median annual wage: $76590Billing and Posting … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.4% · Median annual wage: $48500Production, Planning… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.8% · Median annual wage: $59650Tellers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -12.9% · Median annual wage: $43030Postal Service Mail … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.5% · Median annual wage: $60550Hotel, Motel, and Re… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.7% · Median annual wage: $35070Insurance Claims and… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.7% · Median annual wage: $49230Dispatchers, Except … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.9% · Median annual wage: $50340Office and Administr… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -7.8% · Median annual wage: $45670Court, Municipal, an… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3% · Median annual wage: $48700Loan Interviewers an… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2.3% · Median annual wage: $50020Bill and Account Col… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -10.5% · Median annual wage: $47030Legal Secretaries an… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -5.8% · Median annual wage: $55570Eligibility Intervie… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1% · Median annual wage: $54210Payroll and Timekeep… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -16.7% · Median annual wage: $58260Interviewers, Except… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -11.6% · Median annual wage: $45920
Among 23 43-series occupations with growth data, Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance sits on the slower-growing side at -0.9% growth and $50,340 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Customer Service Rep…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.5%, Median annual wage $44770
  • Office Clerks, General: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.7%, Median annual wage $45010
  • Secretaries and Admi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $47540
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.3%, Median annual wage $69500
  • Bookkeeping, Account…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.8%, Median annual wage $50670
  • Medical Secretaries …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.2%, Median annual wage $45930
  • Shipping, Receiving,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -7.7%, Median annual wage $45260
  • Executive Secretarie…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $76590
  • Billing and Posting …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.4%, Median annual wage $48500
  • Production, Planning…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.8%, Median annual wage $59650
  • Tellers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -12.9%, Median annual wage $43030
  • Postal Service Mail …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.5%, Median annual wage $60550
  • Hotel, Motel, and Re…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $35070
  • Insurance Claims and…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.7%, Median annual wage $49230
  • Dispatchers, Except …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.9%, Median annual wage $50340
  • Office and Administr…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -7.8%, Median annual wage $45670
  • Court, Municipal, an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $48700
  • Loan Interviewers an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.3%, Median annual wage $50020
  • Bill and Account Col…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.5%, Median annual wage $47030
  • Legal Secretaries an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.8%, Median annual wage $55570
  • Eligibility Intervie…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $54210
  • Payroll and Timekeep…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -16.7%, Median annual wage $58260
  • Interviewers, Except…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -11.6%, Median annual wage $45920

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-0.9%

Declining

Annual Openings

18,500

per year (projected)

Employment Change

-2,100

218,700 (2024) → 216,700 (2034)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-Job Training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Office and Administrative Support Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.5/100K

Injury Rate

1/100

Danger Index

4.3/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Active Listening 4.0
Speaking 4.0
Monitoring 3.9
Coordination 3.9
Reading Comprehension 3.8
Time Management 3.8
Writing 3.1
Critical Thinking 3.1
Social Perceptiveness 3.1
Service Orientation 3.1

Knowledge Areas

Customer and Personal Service 4.3
Public Safety and Security 4.0
Administration and Management 3.9
Administrative 3.7
English Language 3.5
Transportation 3.5
Personnel and Human Resources 3.3
Computers and Electronics 3.1
Education and Training 2.8
Psychology 2.5

Key Tasks

  • Schedule or dispatch workers, work crews, equipment, or service vehicles to appropriate locations, according to customer requests, specifications, or needs, using radios or telephones.
  • Prepare daily work and run schedules.
  • Confer with customers or supervising personnel to address questions, problems, or requests for service or equipment.
  • Relay work orders, messages, or information to or from work crews, supervisors, or field inspectors, using telephones or two-way radios.
  • Oversee all communications within specifically assigned territories.
  • Receive or prepare work orders.
  • Record and maintain files or records of customer requests, work or services performed, charges, expenses, inventory, or other dispatch information.
  • Arrange for necessary repairs to restore service and schedules.
  • Monitor personnel or equipment locations and utilization to coordinate service and schedules.
  • Determine types or amounts of equipment, vehicles, materials, or personnel required, according to work orders or specifications.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$36,030
25th$42,750
Median$50,340
75th$62,450
90th$78,140

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$17.32
25th$20.56
Median$24.20
75th$30.02
90th$37.57

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$35,000$40,000$45,000$50,000$55,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $37,150National median - 2016: $37,940National median - 2017: $38,790National median - 2018: $39,470National median - 2019: $40,190National median - 2020: $40,980National median - 2021: $44,050National median - 2022: $44,830National median - 2023: $46,860National median - 2024: $48,880National median - 2025: $50,340$50,340
National median annual wage for Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $37,150
2016 $37,940
2017 $38,790
2018 $39,470
2019 $40,190
2020 $40,980
2021 $44,050
2022 $44,830
2023 $46,860
2024 $48,880
2025 $50,340

2015 median

$37,150

2025 median

$50,340

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$10,150 (+25.3%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+3.8%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $37,150 First banked release 196,940
May 2016 $37,940 +2.1% 197,910
May 2017 $38,790 +2.2% 198,520
May 2018 $39,470 +1.8% 199,880
May 2019 $40,190 Classification break 199,360
May 2020 $40,980 +2.0% 188,450
May 2021 $44,050 +7.5% 194,330
May 2022 $44,830 +1.8% 206,370
May 2023 $46,860 +4.5% 206,090
May 2024 $48,880 +4.3% 211,000
May 2025 $50,340 +3.0% 202,810

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $37,150 in May 2015 to $50,340 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.8% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 199,360 in May 2019 to 202,810 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 54 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 District of Columbia $72,260 +44% above national
2 Washington $59,330 +18% above national
3 Minnesota $59,220 +18% above national
4 North Dakota $57,580 +14% above national
5 Illinois $57,240 +14% above national
6 Delaware $57,170 +14% above national
7 Alaska $56,730 +13% above national
8 Vermont $56,360 +12% above national
9 New York $55,810 +11% above national
10 Massachusetts $55,690 +11% above national
11 Maine $55,150 +10% above national
12 Oregon $54,980 +9% above national
13 New Jersey $54,590 +8% above national
14 Colorado $54,070 +7% above national
15 Nebraska $53,880 +7% above national
16 New Hampshire $52,770 +5% above national
17 Hawaii $52,570 +4% above national
18 California $52,350 +4% above national
19 Wisconsin $52,350 +4% above national
20 Missouri $51,410 +2% above national
21 Maryland $51,350 +2% above national
22 Utah $51,010 +1% above national
23 Virginia $50,710 +1% above national
24 Ohio $50,320 same as national
25 Indiana $50,060 1% below national
26 Kentucky $49,990 1% below national
27 Pennsylvania $49,960 1% below national
28 Idaho $49,660 1% below national
29 Tennessee $49,660 1% below national
30 Michigan $49,490 2% below national
31 Rhode Island $49,320 2% below national
32 Georgia $49,180 2% below national
33 Alabama $48,790 3% below national
34 Wyoming $48,690 3% below national
35 North Carolina $48,230 4% below national
36 Connecticut $47,960 5% below national
37 Nevada $47,920 5% below national
38 Arizona $47,880 5% below national
39 South Carolina $47,550 6% below national
40 Texas $47,320 6% below national
41 Kansas $47,170 6% below national
42 Montana $47,140 6% below national
43 Arkansas $47,130 6% below national
44 Louisiana $47,050 7% below national
45 Iowa $47,000 7% below national
46 West Virginia $46,620 7% below national
47 Florida $45,880 9% below national
48 Mississippi $45,660 9% below national
49 Oklahoma $44,950 11% below national
50 New Mexico $43,960 13% below national
51 South Dakota $43,920 13% below national
52 Guam $39,630 21% below national
53 Virgin Islands $33,870 33% below national
54 Puerto Rico $24,750 51% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 379 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $64,890 +29% above national
2 Fairbanks-College, AK $62,130 +23% above national
3 Fargo, ND-MN $61,260 +22% above national
4 Barnstable Town, MA $60,890 +21% above national
5 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $60,780 +21% above national
6 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $59,560 +18% above national
7 Duluth, MN-WI $59,510 +18% above national
8 Lebanon, PA $59,390 +18% above national
9 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $59,340 +18% above national
10 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $59,160 +18% above national
11 Longview-Kelso, WA $59,020 +17% above national
12 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $58,900 +17% above national
13 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $58,710 +17% above national
14 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $58,690 +17% above national
15 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $58,670 +17% above national
16 Portland-South Portland, ME $58,620 +16% above national
17 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $58,610 +16% above national
18 Sheboygan, WI $58,520 +16% above national
19 Rochester, MN $58,350 +16% above national
20 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $58,180 +16% above national
21 Harrisonburg, VA $58,040 +15% above national
22 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $57,970 +15% above national
23 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $57,860 +15% above national
24 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $57,510 +14% above national
25 Janesville-Beloit, WI $57,170 +14% above national
26 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $57,160 +14% above national
27 Fond du Lac, WI $57,140 +14% above national
28 Napa, CA $57,140 +14% above national
29 Lincoln, NE $57,120 +13% above national
30 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $57,100 +13% above national
31 Boulder, CO $56,850 +13% above national
32 Bellingham, WA $56,820 +13% above national
33 Springfield, MO $56,760 +13% above national
34 Decatur, IL $56,740 +13% above national
35 Odessa, TX $56,620 +12% above national
36 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $56,560 +12% above national
37 Vineland, NJ $56,550 +12% above national
38 Wausau, WI $56,460 +12% above national
39 Vallejo, CA $56,430 +12% above national
40 Worcester, MA $56,430 +12% above national
41 Champaign-Urbana, IL $56,360 +12% above national
42 Gettysburg, PA $56,100 +11% above national
43 Columbus, IN $55,820 +11% above national
44 Stockton-Lodi, CA $55,780 +11% above national
45 Anchorage, AK $55,740 +11% above national
46 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $55,610 +10% above national
47 Corvallis, OR $55,430 +10% above national
48 St. Cloud, MN $55,300 +10% above national
49 Jonesboro, AR $54,960 +9% above national
50 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $54,950 +9% above national
51 Springfield, IL $54,900 +9% above national
52 Kenosha, WI $54,820 +9% above national
53 Twin Falls, ID $54,740 +9% above national
54 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $54,580 +8% above national
55 Bozeman, MT $54,320 +8% above national
56 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $54,250 +8% above national
57 Kennewick-Richland, WA $54,200 +8% above national
58 Green Bay, WI $54,150 +8% above national
59 St. Joseph, MO-KS $54,070 +7% above national
60 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $54,000 +7% above national
61 El Centro, CA $53,990 +7% above national
62 Bend, OR $53,870 +7% above national
63 Joplin, MO-KS $53,840 +7% above national
64 Lewiston, ID-WA $53,820 +7% above national
65 Greeley, CO $53,580 +6% above national
66 Casper, WY $53,550 +6% above national
67 Bangor, ME $53,490 +6% above national
68 Elizabethtown, KY $53,290 +6% above national
69 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $53,280 +6% above national
70 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $53,210 +6% above national
71 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $53,180 +6% above national
72 Coeur d'Alene, ID $53,130 +6% above national
73 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $53,080 +5% above national
74 Salem, OR $53,040 +5% above national
75 Yakima, WA $52,830 +5% above national
76 Omaha, NE-IA $52,800 +5% above national
77 Midland, TX $52,780 +5% above national
78 Springfield, MA $52,710 +5% above national
79 Boise City, ID $52,580 +4% above national
80 Colorado Springs, CO $52,350 +4% above national
81 Yuba City, CA $52,350 +4% above national
82 Decatur, AL $52,310 +4% above national
83 Battle Creek, MI $52,290 +4% above national
84 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $52,170 +4% above national
85 Dover, DE $52,140 +4% above national
86 Gainesville, GA $52,070 +3% above national
87 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $52,000 +3% above national
88 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $51,990 +3% above national
89 Modesto, CA $51,990 +3% above national
90 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $51,950 +3% above national
91 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $51,900 +3% above national
92 Iowa City, IA $51,880 +3% above national
93 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $51,860 +3% above national
94 Salinas, CA $51,740 +3% above national
95 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $51,710 +3% above national
96 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $51,670 +3% above national
97 Columbus, OH $51,640 +3% above national
98 Chambersburg, PA $51,600 +3% above national
99 Anniston-Oxford, AL $51,580 +2% above national
100 Merced, CA $51,550 +2% above national
101 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $51,410 +2% above national
102 Lake Charles, LA $51,390 +2% above national
103 Saginaw, MI $51,380 +2% above national
104 York-Hanover, PA $51,380 +2% above national
105 Macon-Bibb County, GA $51,370 +2% above national
106 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $51,370 +2% above national
107 Charlottesville, VA $51,300 +2% above national
108 Dubuque, IA $51,290 +2% above national
109 Kingston, NY $51,280 +2% above national
110 Great Falls, MT $51,240 +2% above national
111 Kokomo, IN $51,200 +2% above national
112 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $51,170 +2% above national
113 Traverse City, MI $51,140 +2% above national
114 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $50,840 +1% above national
115 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $50,820 +1% above national
116 Minot, ND $50,790 +1% above national
117 Cleveland, TN $50,770 +1% above national
118 Lexington Park, MD $50,760 +1% above national
119 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $50,750 +1% above national
120 Jackson, TN $50,720 +1% above national
121 Rockford, IL $50,710 +1% above national
122 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $50,700 +1% above national
123 Manchester-Nashua, NH $50,660 +1% above national
124 Urban Honolulu, HI $50,640 +1% above national
125 Lancaster, PA $50,630 +1% above national
126 Visalia, CA $50,610 +1% above national
127 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $50,600 +1% above national
128 Redding, CA $50,600 +1% above national
129 Ocala, FL $50,560 same as national
130 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $50,550 same as national
131 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $50,520 same as national
132 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $50,490 same as national
133 Syracuse, NY $50,480 same as national
134 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $50,460 same as national
135 Savannah, GA $50,390 same as national
136 Bloomington, IL $50,360 same as national
137 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $50,350 same as national
138 Flagstaff, AZ $50,320 same as national
139 Morristown, TN $50,200 same as national
140 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $50,200 same as national
141 Idaho Falls, ID $50,180 same as national
142 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $50,130 same as national
143 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $50,060 1% below national
144 Madison, WI $50,020 1% below national
145 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $50,000 1% below national
146 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $50,000 1% below national
147 Lynchburg, VA $49,990 1% below national
148 St. George, UT $49,970 1% below national
149 Wheeling, WV-OH $49,940 1% below national
150 Paducah, KY-IL $49,920 1% below national
151 Reading, PA $49,920 1% below national
152 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $49,920 1% below national
153 Pittsburgh, PA $49,910 1% below national
154 Cedar Rapids, IA $49,890 1% below national
155 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $49,880 1% below national
156 Richmond, VA $49,830 1% below national
157 Reno, NV $49,820 1% below national
158 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $49,790 1% below national
159 Clarksville, TN-KY $49,750 1% below national
160 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $49,740 1% below national
161 Monroe, MI $49,730 1% below national
162 Canton-Massillon, OH $49,700 1% below national
163 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $49,680 1% below national
164 Ogden, UT $49,680 1% below national
165 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $49,670 1% below national
166 St. Louis, MO-IL $49,650 1% below national
167 Grand Island, NE $49,590 1% below national
168 Fresno, CA $49,580 2% below national
169 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $49,570 2% below national
170 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $49,570 2% below national
171 Dalton, GA $49,520 2% below national
172 Medford, OR $49,470 2% below national
173 Grand Forks, ND-MN $49,450 2% below national
174 Winston-Salem, NC $49,420 2% below national
175 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $49,410 2% below national
176 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $49,400 2% below national
177 Appleton, WI $49,370 2% below national
178 Cleveland, OH $49,340 2% below national
179 Asheville, NC $49,310 2% below national
180 Fort Wayne, IN $49,310 2% below national
181 Knoxville, TN $49,290 2% below national
182 Victoria, TX $49,270 2% below national
183 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $49,250 2% below national
184 Bowling Green, KY $49,180 2% below national
185 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $49,180 2% below national
186 Rocky Mount, NC $49,120 2% below national
187 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $49,090 2% below national
188 Lafayette, LA $49,070 3% below national
189 San Angelo, TX $49,070 3% below national
190 Ann Arbor, MI $49,030 3% below national
191 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $48,990 3% below national
192 Toledo, OH $48,990 3% below national
193 Bloomington, IN $48,970 3% below national
194 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $48,930 3% below national
195 Spartanburg, SC $48,890 3% below national
196 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $48,880 3% below national
197 Lexington-Fayette, KY $48,880 3% below national
198 Montgomery, AL $48,790 3% below national
199 Amarillo, TX $48,780 3% below national
200 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $48,750 3% below national
201 Kankakee, IL $48,730 3% below national
202 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $48,710 3% below national
203 Auburn-Opelika, AL $48,690 3% below national
204 Helena, MT $48,690 3% below national
205 Ames, IA $48,680 3% below national
206 Akron, OH $48,650 3% below national
207 Jacksonville, FL $48,630 3% below national
208 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $48,550 4% below national
209 Hattiesburg, MS $48,530 4% below national
210 Salisbury, MD $48,530 4% below national
211 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $48,520 4% below national
212 Bismarck, ND $48,510 4% below national
213 Naples-Marco Island, FL $48,440 4% below national
214 Pittsfield, MA $48,430 4% below national
215 Hanford-Corcoran, CA $48,410 4% below national
216 Jackson, MS $48,370 4% below national
217 Albany, OR $48,310 4% below national
218 Grand Junction, CO $48,310 4% below national
219 New Haven, CT $48,310 4% below national
220 Raleigh-Cary, NC $48,310 4% below national
221 Flint, MI $48,300 4% below national
222 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $48,280 4% below national
223 Albany, GA $48,220 4% below national
224 Terre Haute, IN $48,210 4% below national
225 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $48,200 4% below national
226 Chico, CA $48,160 4% below national
227 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $48,160 4% below national
228 Pueblo, CO $48,150 4% below national
229 Rochester, NY $48,150 4% below national
230 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $48,140 4% below national
231 Birmingham, AL $48,110 4% below national
232 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $48,030 5% below national
233 Springfield, OH $48,030 5% below national
234 Peoria, IL $48,010 5% below national
235 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $47,980 5% below national
236 Erie, PA $47,960 5% below national
237 Jefferson City, MO $47,920 5% below national
238 Grants Pass, OR $47,900 5% below national
239 Evansville, IN $47,890 5% below national
240 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $47,860 5% below national
241 Eau Claire, WI $47,850 5% below national
242 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $47,850 5% below national
243 Eugene-Springfield, OR $47,730 5% below national
244 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $47,690 5% below national
245 Kansas City, MO-KS $47,660 5% below national
246 Williamsport, PA $47,660 5% below national
247 Oklahoma City, OK $47,630 5% below national
248 Columbia, SC $47,550 6% below national
249 Port St. Lucie, FL $47,550 6% below national
250 Athens-Clarke County, GA $47,540 6% below national
251 Cheyenne, WY $47,490 6% below national
252 Greenville, NC $47,380 6% below national
253 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $47,380 6% below national
254 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $47,350 6% below national
255 Mankato, MN $47,300 6% below national
256 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $47,210 6% below national
257 Corpus Christi, TX $47,200 6% below national
258 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $47,200 6% below national
259 Topeka, KS $47,170 6% below national
260 Rome, GA $47,140 6% below national
261 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $47,140 6% below national
262 Muncie, IN $47,130 6% below national
263 Roanoke, VA $47,070 6% below national
264 Altoona, PA $47,010 7% below national
265 Youngstown-Warren, OH $46,970 7% below national
266 Baton Rouge, LA $46,930 7% below national
267 Huntsville, AL $46,900 7% below national
268 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $46,890 7% below national
269 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $46,800 7% below national
270 College Station-Bryan, TX $46,700 7% below national
271 Winchester, VA-WV $46,660 7% below national
272 State College, PA $46,640 7% below national
273 Chattanooga, TN-GA $46,620 7% below national
274 Morgantown, WV $46,620 7% below national
275 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $46,610 7% below national
276 Niles, MI $46,570 7% below national
277 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $46,450 8% below national
278 Warner Robins, GA $46,420 8% below national
279 Greensboro-High Point, NC $46,390 8% below national
280 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $46,370 8% below national
281 Mansfield, OH $46,370 8% below national
282 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $46,360 8% below national
283 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $46,330 8% below national
284 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $46,320 8% below national
285 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $46,280 8% below national
286 Wilmington, NC $46,270 8% below national
287 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $46,200 8% below national
288 Manhattan, KS $46,110 8% below national
289 Charleston, WV $46,100 8% below national
290 Tucson, AZ $46,000 9% below national
291 Florence, SC $45,980 9% below national
292 Jackson, MI $45,980 9% below national
293 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $45,980 9% below national
294 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $45,930 9% below national
295 Missoula, MT $45,820 9% below national
296 Dothan, AL $45,810 9% below national
297 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $45,810 9% below national
298 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $45,790 9% below national
299 Burlington, NC $45,760 9% below national
300 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $45,740 9% below national
301 Valdosta, GA $45,740 9% below national
302 Fayetteville, NC $45,680 9% below national
303 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $45,620 9% below national
304 Lima, OH $45,610 9% below national
305 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $45,490 10% below national
306 Columbia, MO $45,440 10% below national
307 Jacksonville, NC $45,440 10% below national
308 Utica-Rome, NY $45,410 10% below national
309 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $45,180 10% below national
310 Bay City, MI $45,140 10% below national
311 Johnstown, PA $45,140 10% below national
312 Mobile, AL $45,140 10% below national
313 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $45,140 10% below national
314 Wichita, KS $45,140 10% below national
315 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $45,090 10% below national
316 Tallahassee, FL $45,080 10% below national
317 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $44,990 11% below national
318 Binghamton, NY $44,980 11% below national
319 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $44,930 11% below national
320 Rapid City, SD $44,900 11% below national
321 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $44,830 11% below national
322 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $44,790 11% below national
323 Goldsboro, NC $44,740 11% below national
324 Tuscaloosa, AL $44,740 11% below national
325 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $44,730 11% below national
326 Gainesville, FL $44,710 11% below national
327 Owensboro, KY $44,690 11% below national
328 Billings, MT $44,660 11% below national
329 Farmington, NM $44,660 11% below national
330 Punta Gorda, FL $44,510 12% below national
331 Homosassa Springs, FL $44,380 12% below national
332 Las Cruces, NM $44,360 12% below national
333 Waco, TX $44,320 12% below national
334 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $44,310 12% below national
335 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $44,270 12% below national
336 Tulsa, OK $44,130 12% below national
337 Yuma, AZ $44,090 12% below national
338 Longview, TX $43,990 13% below national
339 Texarkana, TX-AR $43,980 13% below national
340 Ithaca, NY $43,890 13% below national
341 Pocatello, ID $43,790 13% below national
342 Albuquerque, NM $43,710 13% below national
343 Sherman-Denison, TX $43,550 13% below national
344 Lubbock, TX $43,540 14% below national
345 Killeen-Temple, TX $43,520 14% below national
346 Hammond, LA $43,480 14% below national
347 El Paso, TX $43,420 14% below national
348 Columbus, GA-AL $42,980 15% below national
349 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $42,930 15% below national
350 Santa Fe, NM $42,900 15% below national
351 Tyler, TX $42,480 16% below national
352 Glens Falls, NY $42,430 16% below national
353 Alexandria, LA $42,410 16% below national
354 Lawton, OK $42,270 16% below national
355 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $42,060 16% below national
356 Sebring, FL $42,050 16% below national
357 Monroe, LA $42,010 17% below national
358 Logan, UT-ID $41,600 17% below national
359 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $41,600 17% below national
360 Wichita Falls, TX $41,530 18% below national
361 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $41,450 18% below national
362 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $40,660 19% below national
363 Abilene, TX $40,050 20% below national
364 Fort Smith, AR-OK $39,880 21% below national
365 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $39,870 21% below national
366 Elmira, NY $39,640 21% below national
367 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $39,500 22% below national
368 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $39,050 22% below national
369 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $39,040 22% below national
370 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $38,900 23% below national
371 Johnson City, TN $38,860 23% below national
372 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $38,490 24% below national
373 Laredo, TX $38,140 24% below national
374 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $37,440 26% below national
375 Beckley, WV $36,320 28% below national
376 Eagle Pass, TX $34,520 31% below national
377 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $24,750 51% below national
378 Mayaguez, PR $23,960 52% below national
379 Ponce, PR $22,270 56% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 43 (Office and Administrative Support Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 53 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Office and Administrative Support Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($50,340 here) and reported employment (202,810 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance make?
The median annual salary for Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance is $50,340 ($24.20/hour). The salary range spans from $36,030 at the 10th percentile to $78,140 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $50,340, Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance pay is higher than 34% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance the most?
District of Columbia pays the highest median salary for Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance at $72,260/year, which is +44% above the national median.
What education do Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance need?
BLS assigns Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance to High school diploma or equivalent for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance in this release. WageDex shows the Office and Administrative Support Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance a good career?
Employment for Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance is projected to decline 0.9% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 18,500 openings are projected each year.
How does Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance pay vary by state?
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $72,260/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $24,750/year. BLS data covers 54 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA at $64,890/year. BLS reports a median for 379 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $62,450/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $72,260/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.