Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance is $50,340, or $24.20 per hour. About 202,810 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $72,260 in District of Columbia to $43,920 in South Dakota.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $72,260 | $34.74 | 300 | 0.33 |
| 2 | Washington | $59,330 | $28.53 | 4,920 | 1.06 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $59,220 | $28.47 | 2,760 | 0.72 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $57,580 | $27.68 | 600 | 1.08 |
| 5 | Illinois | $57,240 | $27.52 | — | — |
| 6 | Delaware | $57,170 | $27.49 | 670 | 1.05 |
| 7 | Alaska | $56,730 | $27.28 | 570 | 1.33 |
| 8 | Vermont | $56,360 | $27.10 | 260 | 0.65 |
| 9 | New York | $55,810 | $26.83 | 11,160 | 0.88 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $55,690 | $26.77 | 3,510 | 0.74 |
| 11 | Maine | $55,150 | $26.51 | 670 | 0.80 |
| 12 | Oregon | $54,980 | $26.43 | 3,290 | 1.28 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $54,590 | $26.25 | 6,420 | 1.15 |
| 14 | Colorado | $54,070 | $26.00 | 3,470 | 0.93 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $53,880 | $25.91 | 1,500 | 1.12 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $52,770 | $25.37 | 710 | 0.80 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $52,570 | $25.27 | 950 | 1.17 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $52,350 | $25.17 | 3,240 | 0.84 |
| 19 | California | $52,350 | $25.17 | 23,970 | 1.01 |
| 20 | Missouri | $51,410 | $24.71 | 4,340 | 1.13 |
| 21 | Maryland | $51,350 | $24.69 | 3,310 | 0.92 |
| 22 | Utah | $51,010 | $24.52 | 2,040 | 0.90 |
| 23 | Virginia | $50,710 | $24.38 | 5,830 | 1.09 |
| 24 | Ohio | $50,320 | $24.19 | 5,720 | 0.79 |
| 25 | Indiana | $50,060 | $24.07 | 4,090 | 0.98 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $49,990 | $24.03 | 2,440 | 0.93 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $49,960 | $24.02 | 6,670 | 0.84 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $49,660 | $23.87 | 4,190 | 0.98 |
| 29 | Idaho | $49,660 | $23.87 | 1,430 | 1.28 |
| 30 | Michigan | $49,490 | $23.79 | 5,390 | 0.94 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $49,320 | $23.71 | 530 | 0.81 |
| 32 | Georgia | $49,180 | $23.65 | 6,190 | 0.97 |
| 33 | Alabama | $48,790 | $23.46 | 1,780 | 0.64 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $48,690 | $23.41 | 240 | 0.65 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $48,230 | $23.19 | 5,740 | 0.89 |
| 36 | Connecticut | $47,960 | $23.06 | 2,220 | 1.01 |
| 37 | Nevada | $47,920 | $23.04 | 2,840 | 1.40 |
| 38 | Arizona | $47,880 | $23.02 | 5,690 | 1.35 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $47,550 | $22.86 | 2,440 | 0.81 |
| 40 | Texas | $47,320 | $22.75 | 23,920 | 1.30 |
| 41 | Kansas | $47,170 | $22.68 | 1,670 | 0.89 |
| 42 | Montana | $47,140 | $22.66 | 810 | 1.22 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $47,130 | $22.66 | 1,780 | 1.05 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $47,050 | $22.62 | 2,980 | 1.18 |
| 45 | Iowa | $47,000 | $22.60 | 1,460 | 0.72 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $46,620 | $22.41 | 880 | 0.97 |
| 47 | Florida | $45,880 | $22.06 | 12,550 | 0.97 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $45,660 | $21.95 | 2,000 | 1.32 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $44,950 | $21.61 | 2,180 | 0.98 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $43,960 | $21.13 | 1,350 | 1.19 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $43,920 | $21.12 | 860 | 1.44 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance make?
The median annual wage for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance in the United States is $50,340, or $24.20 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $36,030, and the top 10% earn $78,140.
How many dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance are employed in the U.S.?
About 202,810 people work as dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance nationwide.
Which state pays dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $72,260, followed by Washington ($59,330) and Minnesota ($59,220).
Which state pays dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance the least?
South Dakota has the lowest median at $43,920.
Where are dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is South Dakota at 1.44×.