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How Much Does a Dispatcher Make?

A dispatcher in the US earns a median salary of $50,340 a year, or $24.20 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $54,740, and the middle half earn between $42,750 and $62,450.

Median a year $50,340
Median an hour $24.20
Median a month $4,195
Average a year $54,740

Dispatcher pay range

What dispatchers earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $36,030 $17.32
25th $42,750 $20.56
Median (50th) $50,340 $24.20
75th $62,450 $30.02
90th (top 10%) $78,140 $37.57

The median is 1% less than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 202,810 people work as dispatchers in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$968
Every two weeks
$1,936
Twice a month
$2,098
A month
$4,195

At the median salary, before tax.

Dispatcher salary by state

Sorted by average pay. District of Columbia pays dispatchers the most, at $70,320 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
District of Columbia $70,320 $72,260 300 After tax
Alaska $64,690 $56,730 570 After tax
Washington $63,190 $59,330 4,920 After tax
New York $61,990 $55,810 11,160 After tax
Hawaii $60,880 $52,570 950 After tax
Massachusetts $60,350 $55,690 3,510 After tax
Minnesota $59,990 $59,220 2,760 After tax
North Dakota $59,450 $57,580 600 After tax
Missouri $59,420 $51,410 4,340 After tax
Illinois $59,400 $57,240 – After tax
Nebraska $58,570 $53,880 1,500 After tax
Colorado $58,140 $54,070 3,470 After tax
New Jersey $58,030 $54,590 6,420 After tax
Oregon $57,970 $54,980 3,290 After tax
California $57,950 $52,350 23,970 After tax
Maine $57,750 $55,150 670 After tax
Vermont $56,750 $56,360 260 After tax
Rhode Island $56,460 $49,320 530 After tax
Maryland $56,110 $51,350 3,310 After tax
Delaware $55,810 $57,170 670 After tax
New Hampshire $55,810 $52,770 710 After tax
Connecticut $55,470 $47,960 2,220 After tax
Wisconsin $54,690 $52,350 3,240 After tax
Kentucky $54,600 $49,990 2,440 After tax
Virginia $54,230 $50,710 5,830 After tax
Indiana $54,170 $50,060 4,090 After tax
Michigan $54,140 $49,490 5,390 After tax
Ohio $53,890 $50,320 5,720 After tax
Pennsylvania $53,490 $49,960 6,670 After tax
Utah $53,460 $51,010 2,040 After tax
Wyoming $53,220 $48,690 240 After tax
Idaho $52,930 $49,660 1,430 After tax
Georgia $52,030 $49,180 6,190 After tax
Montana $52,020 $47,140 810 After tax
Iowa $51,790 $47,000 1,460 After tax
Nevada $51,760 $47,920 2,840 After tax
Kansas $51,400 $47,170 1,670 After tax
Arizona $51,250 $47,880 5,690 After tax
North Carolina $51,240 $48,230 5,740 After tax
Tennessee $51,130 $49,660 4,190 After tax
Alabama $50,890 $48,790 1,780 After tax
Texas $50,770 $47,320 23,920 After tax
South Carolina $50,740 $47,550 2,440 After tax
Louisiana $50,030 $47,050 2,980 After tax
Florida $49,620 $45,880 12,550 After tax
West Virginia $48,850 $46,620 880 After tax
Mississippi $48,500 $45,660 2,000 After tax
Arkansas $48,420 $47,130 1,780 After tax
Oklahoma $48,360 $44,950 2,180 After tax
New Mexico $47,930 $43,960 1,350 After tax
Guam $44,800 $39,630 130
South Dakota $43,860 $43,920 860 After tax
Virgin Islands $39,370 $33,870 30
Puerto Rico $26,560 $24,750 740

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other office and administrative support jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance” (SOC 43-5032). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a dispatcher make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a dispatcher is $24.20, and the average is $26.32. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $17.32 an hour and the top 10% over $37.57.

How much does a dispatcher make a month?

At the median salary of $50,340, a dispatcher earns about $4,195 a month before tax, or $1,936 every two weeks.

Which state pays dispatchers the most?

District of Columbia has the highest average pay for a dispatcher, at $70,320 a year. Next are Alaska and Washington. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a dispatcher?

The lowest-paid 10% of dispatchers earn less than $36,030 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $42,750. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid dispatchers make?

The top 10% earn more than $78,140 a year, and the top 25% more than $62,450.