Dispatchers play a crucial role in dispatching service to people in need, and you might wonder how much do dispatchers make?
They respond to emergency calls, record radio transmissions, and assist victims in getting the assistance they require.
Working as a dispatcher has several advantages, including high average salaries and the potential to progress in different sectors like medical or law enforcement as you work closely with them.
In fact, according to Indeed, 53% of Police Dispatchers are satisfied with their pay.
So here we will look at what dispatcher does, how much they make on average, the highest Salary of dispatchers, qualifications required, and other necessary details.
Summary
| Guide | How Much Do Dispatchers Make? |
|---|---|
| Average Income | $41,910 per year |
| Highest Income | Between $65,000 and $70,000 per year |
| Qualification | Required |
| Training | Required |
Who Are Dispatchers?
Dispatchers operate in the shipping or emergency response businesses, giving callers directions and essential information.
They are frequently the initial point of contact for any emergency or non-emergency calls.
And they are in charge of diverting the caller to department that would best help and solve the caller’s concerns.
Dispatchers are often in charge of a multi-line control system and must operate swiftly in high-pressure or emergency situation.
To answer and reply to client inquiries, they employ a number of communication methods, including phones, computers, and radios.
They’re in charge of overseeing the drivers’ routes and the state of the field units to guarantee that the drivers’ schedule is efficient and productive.
How Much Do Dispatchers Make?
Looking at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers have an average salary of $41,910 per year in 2019.
Their yearly salaries varied from less than $27,190 to more than $64,950 per year.
The majority is working for local government, such as city fire departments, at an average yearly salary of $44,500, or $21.40 per hour.
Workers at psychiatric and drug addiction facilities made the most money, earning $54,900 per year, or $26.39 per hour.
Texas has the most job openings for the profession, with 7,430 available employment.
In 2019, the average yearly Salary for dispatcher employment in Texas was $39,640, or $19.06 per hour.
California had the highest average dispatcher compensation, at $66,480 per year.
1. How much do Dispatchers Make an Hour?
Dispatchers make a minimum of $9.13 an hour and a maximum of $27.64 an hour.
2. How much do Dispatchers Make in a Month?
Dispatchers make a minimum of $1,583 a month and a maximum of $4,792 a month.
3. How much do Dispatchers Make a Year?
Dispatchers make a minimum of $19,000 a year and a maximum of $57,500 a year.
Highest Salary Of Dispatchers In 2022
Looking at highest Salary of dispatchers, just like many other professions, there are many different salaries recorded on the internet.
This vary depending on the state, experience, place where you work, etc. However, we see a pattern of highest Salary in the range of between $65,000 and $70,000 annually.
Although this does not mean that this is the highest you can get. The more experience you have the more you get.
There is always the potential of becoming the top 5% of skilled dispatchers which could make you more money than this.
Is Being A Dispatcher Good Or Bad?
Depending on your likings and your personality, this could be good or bad because there is a lot of stress involved in your day-to-day tasks.
You must be able to stay calm whatever and serve the needs of the victim or the customer without getting scared, angry, or any other emotion getting in the way of you doing your work.
If you like this stressful environment and you think you can achieve well, this job is a good job, but for many, being a dispatcher is regarded as a bad job due to the risks involved.
Pros and Cons of Being A Dispatcher
Pros
- You get to help others
- Do not require an education degree
- Decent pay
Cons
- Stressful
- Long work hours
- Poor work-life balance
How To Become Dispatcher?
Dispatchers should have the qualification to work with people under duress.
This usually takes two to three years of practice to take on more difficult difficulties that need keeping calm and being able to soothe others while solving issues.
They should have the qualification to juggle many schedules and priorities while working in a fast-paced workplace with others.
It is all about good communication and organizational skills, knowledge of computers and scheduling the best way possible, and mainly other soft skills rather than skills that come with a degree.
You do not necessarily need to have a degree or specific training.
How Many Hours Do Dispatchers Work?
Dispatchers work for 8-12 hours a day, depending on their department.
Emergency call operators, such as Public safety telecommunicators, 911 operators, etc., work 12-hour shifts. Whereas non-emergency call operators may work for 8 hours a day.
What is the Starting Pay of Dispatchers?
The starting salary of dispatchers is $9.13 an hour or $19,000 a year, and with more experience in this field, they can make as much as $27.64 an hour or $57,500 a year which is more than the average salary of most Americans.
Dispatcher Training Programs
Here’s how you can become a Dispatcher:
- The education and training requirements for dispatchers vary based on the type of dispatcher one wishes to operate as.
- The requirements for a Dispatcher’s certification vary from state to state. Normally, having a high school diploma or GED is necessary.
- A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or communication may be necessary for emergency personnel dispatching.
- Once you have a GED or school diploma, you should enroll for dispatcher training. Certificate programs in criminal justice, emergency telecommunications, stress management, and transcribing skills for emergency dispatchers may be available at several community institutions.
- After the certification, you will need to get on-the-job training to polish your skills. After completing your on-the-job training, you can work full-time.
In general, you must have the skills to remain calm in stressful situation. This because the job is all about handling stressful people and situations to the best of your ability.
Conclusion
To conclude, being a dispatcher, whether non-emergency or emergency, is not easy.
There is always this duress pushing you to be better and making it harder for you. But if you like to handle people and get under stress, this job is for you.
It offers good pay when compared to most of the jobs and salaries in the country.
Even though it requires soft skills and not much formal education, it’s still hard to get started and continue.
FAQ
How much do dispatchers make when they are working in non-emergency?
There is not much difference in pay when you are working in non-emergency, but it is possible that the amount of raise you will be getting is not going to be too much as it is not as stressful as an emergency dispatcher.
How much do dispatchers make when they are working in an emergency?
Emergency dispatchers might get the average Salary of every dispatcher sector.
Still, they rise quickly to the top due to the job being very stressful and requiring immense soft skills to succeed.
How much do dispatchers make when they first start off?
When you start off as a dispatcher, you start from the bottom with lower than the average, but with appropriate skills and experience, you can quickly move up the ladder.
Shefali Jain is a Content Writer & Editor at USWorkforce.org
After completing her graduation in hospitality, Shefali decided to follow her passion and started writing. Shefali has been writing for two years now and contributes to our website as a skilled editor and content writer with strong research skills. Writing product and service reviews, biographies, and book reviews are some of her key areas, among many others in which she specializes. In her time at the organization, she has written and edited content on a range of topics, including employment law, human resources, and business management.
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