Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance (SOC 43-5032) earn a median $50,340 a year ($24.20 an hour) in the United States, with 202,810 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance do
Dispatchers in this group schedule and dispatch workers, work crews, equipment, or service vehicles. The vehicles may carry materials, freight, or passengers, or the crews may be doing normal installation, service, or emergency repairs away from the place of business. The dispatcher sends people to the right locations based on what customers ask for or require, by radio or telephone. Daily work and run schedules are prepared, work orders are received or prepared, and instructions are relayed to and from work crews, supervisors, or field inspectors. The dispatcher confers with customers or supervisors about questions, problems, or requests for service or equipment, and arranges the repairs needed to restore service and schedules. Monitoring where personnel and equipment are and how they are used helps coordinate service. Records of customer requests, work performed, charges, expenses, and inventory are kept, and reports on work progress may be compiled. Police, fire, and ambulance dispatching is excluded from this group, as the title says, and is classified under public safety telecommunicators.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Aircraft Dispatcher, Airplane Dispatch Clerk, Auto Service Dispatcher (Automotive Service Dispatcher), Automobile Rental Dispatcher, Bus and Trolley Dispatcher.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.32 | $20.56 | $24.20 | $30.02 | $37.57 | $26.32 | 202,810 |
| Annual | $36,030 | $42,750 | $50,340 | $62,450 | $78,140 | $54,740 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $21.63 | $23.07 | $34.74 | $41.87 | $48.02 | $33.81 | 300 | 0.43 | 0.33 |
| Annual | $45,000 | $47,980 | $72,260 | $87,090 | $99,870 | $70,320 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $21.18 | $24.00 | $28.53 | $34.73 | $42.31 | $30.38 | 4,920 | 1.39 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $44,050 | $49,920 | $59,330 | $72,240 | $88,000 | $63,190 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $18.95 | $22.58 | $28.47 | $34.72 | $39.59 | $28.84 | 2,760 | 0.94 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $39,420 | $46,960 | $59,220 | $72,210 | $82,360 | $59,990 | ||||
| North Dakota | Hourly | $18.54 | $22.50 | $27.68 | $33.00 | $39.44 | $28.58 | 600 | 1.41 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $38,560 | $46,800 | $57,580 | $68,640 | $82,030 | $59,450 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $17.97 | $22.47 | $27.52 | $34.33 | $40.19 | $28.56 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $37,380 | $46,750 | $57,240 | $71,410 | $83,600 | $59,400 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $19.00 | $22.17 | $25.17 | $30.36 | $38.98 | $27.86 | 23,970 | 1.32 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $39,520 | $46,120 | $52,350 | $63,160 | $81,070 | $57,950 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $15.45 | $18.09 | $22.75 | $28.84 | $35.94 | $24.41 | 23,920 | 1.70 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $32,130 | $37,630 | $47,320 | $59,980 | $74,760 | $50,770 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.00 | $18.61 | $22.06 | $28.26 | $33.41 | $23.86 | 12,550 | 1.26 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $35,350 | $38,700 | $45,880 | $58,790 | $69,490 | $49,620 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $17.66 | $21.35 | $26.83 | $35.98 | $50.86 | $29.81 | 11,160 | 1.15 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $36,720 | $44,410 | $55,810 | $74,840 | $105,780 | $61,990 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $17.35 | $20.60 | $24.02 | $29.45 | $36.63 | $25.71 | 6,670 | 1.10 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $36,090 | $42,840 | $49,960 | $61,260 | $76,180 | $53,490 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | Hourly | $18.99 | $21.84 | $31.20 | $37.55 | $41.98 | $30.48 | 100 | 1.09 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $39,500 | $45,430 | $64,890 | $78,110 | $87,320 | $63,400 | ||||
| Fairbanks-College, AK | Hourly | $20.63 | $23.77 | $29.87 | $35.09 | $59.28 | $33.03 | 80 | 2.27 | 1.74 |
| Annual | $42,920 | $49,440 | $62,130 | $72,990 | $123,310 | $68,700 | ||||
| Fargo, ND-MN | Hourly | $18.93 | $23.05 | $29.45 | $35.74 | $41.27 | $29.86 | 150 | 1.04 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $39,370 | $47,940 | $61,260 | $74,330 | $85,840 | $62,100 | ||||
| Barnstable Town, MA | Hourly | $18.65 | $21.50 | $29.27 | $35.98 | $37.59 | $28.45 | 120 | 1.30 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $38,790 | $44,720 | $60,890 | $74,830 | $78,180 | $59,180 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $22.60 | $25.44 | $29.22 | $36.72 | $47.40 | $32.18 | 720 | 0.63 | 0.48 |
| Annual | $47,000 | $52,910 | $60,780 | $76,380 | $98,600 | $66,940 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $19.22 | $22.52 | $27.97 | $36.58 | $48.15 | $30.64 | 11,590 | 1.22 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $39,970 | $46,840 | $58,180 | $76,080 | $100,160 | $63,720 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $19.05 | $21.97 | $25.08 | $29.90 | $38.71 | $27.66 | 7,700 | 1.23 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $39,630 | $45,700 | $52,170 | $62,190 | $80,520 | $57,530 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $16.04 | $18.18 | $23.09 | $28.84 | $36.97 | $24.82 | 7,170 | 1.77 | 1.36 |
| Annual | $33,360 | $37,810 | $48,030 | $59,990 | $76,890 | $51,620 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $16.24 | $18.98 | $23.34 | $29.69 | $36.47 | $25.19 | 5,720 | 1.74 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $33,780 | $39,480 | $48,550 | $61,760 | $75,870 | $52,400 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $18.28 | $20.54 | $23.21 | $28.38 | $33.28 | $25.03 | 4,200 | 1.77 | 1.36 |
| Annual | $38,020 | $42,710 | $48,280 | $59,040 | $69,220 | $52,060 | ||||
Top industries employing dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
Truck Transportation employ 17.2% of dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance nationally (34,890 jobs) at a median $57,010 a year ($27.41 an hour), followed by Building Equipment Contractors (7.1%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (4.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truck Transportation NAICS 484000 | 34,890 | 17.2% | $57,010 | $27.41 |
| Building Equipment Contractors NAICS 238200 | 14,490 | 7.1% | $47,660 | $22.91 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 9,980 | 4.9% | $57,720 | $27.75 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement NAICS 488500 | 8,350 | 4.1% | $50,120 | $24.10 |
| Support Activities for Road Transportation NAICS 488400 | 7,970 | 3.9% | $41,060 | $19.74 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (202,810). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $44,050 for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance in May 2021 and $50,340 in May 2025, with employment of 194,330 and 202,810.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $44,050 | $21.18 | 194,330 |
| May 2022 | $44,830 | $21.55 | 206,370 |
| May 2023 | $46,860 | $22.53 | 206,090 |
| May 2024 | $48,880 | $23.50 | 211,000 |
| May 2025 | $50,340 | $24.20 | 202,810 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $34.74 | $72,260 | $45,000 | $99,870 | 300 | 0.43 | 0.33 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $28.53 | $59,330 | $44,050 | $88,000 | 4,920 | 1.39 | 1.06 |
| 3 | Minnesota profile | $28.47 | $59,220 | $39,420 | $82,360 | 2,760 | 0.94 | 0.72 |
| 4 | North Dakota profile | $27.68 | $57,580 | $38,560 | $82,030 | 600 | 1.41 | 1.08 |
| 5 | Illinois profile | $27.52 | $57,240 | $37,380 | $83,600 | ** | ** | ** |
| 6 | Delaware profile | $27.49 | $57,170 | $37,710 | $68,640 | 670 | 1.38 | 1.05 |
| 7 | Alaska profile | $27.28 | $56,730 | $39,530 | $96,920 | 570 | 1.74 | 1.33 |
| 8 | Vermont profile | $27.10 | $56,360 | $40,430 | $73,780 | 260 | 0.84 | 0.65 |
| 9 | New York profile | $26.83 | $55,810 | $36,720 | $105,780 | 11,160 | 1.15 | 0.88 |
| 10 | Massachusetts profile | $26.77 | $55,690 | $42,460 | $84,150 | 3,510 | 0.96 | 0.74 |
| 11 | Maine profile | $26.51 | $55,150 | $39,530 | $81,700 | 670 | 1.05 | 0.80 |
| 12 | Oregon profile | $26.43 | $54,980 | $40,630 | $77,470 | 3,290 | 1.67 | 1.28 |
| 13 | New Jersey profile | $26.25 | $54,590 | $39,730 | $79,890 | 6,420 | 1.50 | 1.15 |
| 14 | Colorado profile | $26.00 | $54,070 | $40,430 | $79,420 | 3,470 | 1.21 | 0.93 |
| 15 | Nebraska profile | $25.91 | $53,880 | $38,790 | $95,260 | 1,500 | 1.46 | 1.12 |
| 16 | New Hampshire profile | $25.37 | $52,770 | $37,440 | $74,280 | 710 | 1.04 | 0.80 |
| 17 | Hawaii profile | $25.27 | $52,570 | $37,760 | $88,250 | 950 | 1.52 | 1.17 |
| 18 | California profile | $25.17 | $52,350 | $39,520 | $81,070 | 23,970 | 1.32 | 1.01 |
| 19 | Wisconsin profile | $25.17 | $52,350 | $36,090 | $75,910 | 3,240 | 1.10 | 0.84 |
| 20 | Missouri profile | $24.71 | $51,410 | $36,720 | $101,750 | 4,340 | 1.48 | 1.13 |
| 21 | Maryland profile | $24.69 | $51,350 | $36,740 | $80,320 | 3,310 | 1.20 | 0.92 |
| 22 | Utah profile | $24.52 | $51,010 | $36,550 | $74,870 | 2,040 | 1.17 | 0.90 |
| 23 | Virginia profile | $24.38 | $50,710 | $38,370 | $71,910 | 5,830 | 1.42 | 1.09 |
| 24 | Ohio profile | $24.19 | $50,320 | $35,540 | $76,430 | 5,720 | 1.03 | 0.79 |
| 25 | Indiana profile | $24.07 | $50,060 | $35,740 | $74,960 | 4,090 | 1.28 | 0.98 |
| 26 | Kentucky profile | $24.03 | $49,990 | $34,880 | $77,330 | 2,440 | 1.22 | 0.93 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania profile | $24.02 | $49,960 | $36,090 | $76,180 | 6,670 | 1.10 | 0.84 |
| 28 | Idaho profile | $23.87 | $49,660 | $30,630 | $78,630 | 1,430 | 1.67 | 1.28 |
| 29 | Tennessee profile | $23.87 | $49,660 | $34,850 | $69,420 | 4,190 | 1.28 | 0.98 |
| 30 | Michigan profile | $23.79 | $49,490 | $34,880 | $80,650 | 5,390 | 1.22 | 0.94 |
| 31 | Rhode Island profile | $23.71 | $49,320 | $37,070 | $83,390 | 530 | 1.06 | 0.81 |
| 32 | Georgia profile | $23.65 | $49,180 | $32,770 | $74,700 | 6,190 | 1.27 | 0.97 |
| 33 | Alabama profile | $23.46 | $48,790 | $34,490 | $72,740 | 1,780 | 0.84 | 0.64 |
| 34 | Wyoming profile | $23.41 | $48,690 | $32,130 | $82,330 | 240 | 0.85 | 0.65 |
| 35 | North Carolina profile | $23.19 | $48,230 | $35,930 | $71,010 | 5,740 | 1.16 | 0.89 |
| 36 | Connecticut profile | $23.06 | $47,960 | $41,600 | $80,370 | 2,220 | 1.31 | 1.01 |
| 37 | Nevada profile | $23.04 | $47,920 | $34,860 | $77,600 | 2,840 | 1.83 | 1.40 |
| 38 | Arizona profile | $23.02 | $47,880 | $37,450 | $68,900 | 5,690 | 1.76 | 1.35 |
| 39 | South Carolina profile | $22.86 | $47,550 | $32,110 | $74,070 | 2,440 | 1.06 | 0.81 |
| 40 | Texas profile | $22.75 | $47,320 | $32,130 | $74,760 | 23,920 | 1.70 | 1.30 |
| 41 | Kansas profile | $22.68 | $47,170 | $32,400 | $72,480 | 1,670 | 1.16 | 0.89 |
| 42 | Montana profile | $22.66 | $47,140 | $36,230 | $67,440 | 810 | 1.59 | 1.22 |
| 43 | Arkansas profile | $22.66 | $47,130 | $30,020 | $65,160 | 1,780 | 1.37 | 1.05 |
| 44 | Louisiana profile | $22.62 | $47,050 | $32,350 | $73,820 | 2,980 | 1.54 | 1.18 |
| 45 | Iowa profile | $22.60 | $47,000 | $36,960 | $75,280 | 1,460 | 0.94 | 0.72 |
| 46 | West Virginia profile | $22.41 | $46,620 | $28,600 | $71,970 | 880 | 1.26 | 0.97 |
| 47 | Florida profile | $22.06 | $45,880 | $35,350 | $69,490 | 12,550 | 1.26 | 0.97 |
| 48 | Mississippi profile | $21.95 | $45,660 | $28,620 | $71,930 | 2,000 | 1.72 | 1.32 |
| 49 | Oklahoma profile | $21.61 | $44,950 | $31,170 | $71,760 | 2,180 | 1.27 | 0.98 |
| 50 | New Mexico profile | $21.13 | $43,960 | $31,740 | $70,720 | 1,350 | 1.55 | 1.19 |
| 51 | South Dakota profile | $21.12 | $43,920 | $30,510 | $55,900 | 860 | 1.87 | 1.44 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (43-5030), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Office and Administrative Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 43-5032 Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 43-5032, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 43-5032.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.