Dispatcher Salary by Role and State: Official BLS Pay Data

Salary pages for dispatchers often mix survey years, mix averages with medians and quote figures without a source. We don't. Each number here is labeled with its source and survey date, and where a source doesn't show a date, we tell you. We also say what's missing, because a blank is more useful than a guess.

Dispatcher pay at a glance

911 dispatcher salary

The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook puts the median annual wage for public safety telecommunicators at $53,040 in May 2025, or $25.50 an hour. That is above the $50,980 median for all US workers in the same month.

Industry matters. BLS lists state government (excluding education and hospitals) as the top-paying industry for the occupation, at a $60,840 median. Ambulance services and educational services also employ telecommunicators.

911 pay in four large metros (May 2023)

These are mean wages from the May 2023 survey, published by BLS OEWS. Don't compare them directly with the May 2025 national median: different year, different measure. They do show how much location matters. The San Francisco mean is more than double Atlanta's.

911 pay by state

We publish state figures only from official sources. So far we have one. The Oregon Employment Department reports that Oregon's public safety telecommunicator wages ranked third in the nation in 2024, at a mean of $34.30 an hour, and that the state average has since grown to $35.04 an hour.

Several salary aggregator sites repost BLS state data for this occupation. We haven't confirmed their numbers against bls.gov, so we don't repeat them. To check your state, look up SOC 43-5031 in BLS OEWS state data on bls.gov or ask your state's labor market agency, and note the survey month.

Truck, freight and field-service dispatcher salary

Truck, freight and field-service dispatchers, including HVAC and repair dispatch, share one federal code: SOC 43-5032, Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance. CareerOneStop, which draws on BLS OEWS data, reports these national figures:

The survey year was not shown in the data we reviewed, so check the CareerOneStop page for the current date before you rely on these numbers. Because the code mixes freight, passenger transport and field service, the figures describe the whole group, not trucking alone. We haven't verified state-level pay for this occupation yet, so we don't publish a state table.

Median, mean and percentiles: reading the numbers

• Median: the middle wage. Half of workers earn more and half earn less. The national BLS and CareerOneStop figures above are medians.
• Mean: the arithmetic average. A few high earners can pull it above the median. The metro table above uses means.
• 10th and 90th percentiles: 10% of workers earn less than the 10th percentile figure, and 10% earn more than the 90th. The gap shows how wide the range is.
• Survey date: wages change over time. A 2023 figure and a 2025 figure aren't directly comparable.

Why independent dispatcher earnings are not wages

Course ads for independent truck dispatching often post large earnings figures. Those numbers are not wages, and no BLS survey measures them. An independent dispatcher's income is fees from carriers, minus business costs and the unpaid time spent finding clients. If your business allocates loads among carriers, FMCSA's 2023 guidance says you need broker authority, which means a $75,000 surety bond or trust, as Overdrive reported. That is a real cost to factor in.

The FTC lists salaries out of line with industry norms as a warning sign of a job scam. Compare any earnings claim with the official ranges on this page. For the rules, read the truck dispatcher guide.

What affects dispatcher pay

• Location: among the metros above, May 2023 means for 911 telecommunicators ranged from $44,480 in Atlanta to $98,680 in San Francisco.
• Industry: state government is the top-paying industry for 911 telecommunicators, per BLS.
• Career level: if you aim for management, NENA says more management jobs now require its ENP certification before you apply.
• Schedule: most 911 telecommunicators work full time, often in 8- to 12-hour shifts. Ask how overtime and shift pay work where you apply.

How to check pay for a specific job

1. Find the occupation codeUse SOC 43-5031 for 911 roles and 43-5032 for truck, freight and field-service roles.
2. Start with national dataUse the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for 911 pay and CareerOneStop for 43-5032.
3. Narrow it to your areaLook up state and metro figures in BLS OEWS data on bls.gov, or check your state's labor market agency, as Oregon publishes.
4. Note the survey dateWrite the month and year next to every number you compare.
5. Compare to the postingIf an offer is far above the official range for your area, ask why. If it is far below, ask about raises and overtime.

Still choosing a track? See how to become a 911 dispatcher or compare all three on the home page.