Hiring Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance

What do dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance do?

• Schedule or dispatch workers, work crews, equipment, or service vehicles to appropriate locations, according to customer requests, specifications, or needs, using radios or telephones.
• Prepare daily work and run schedules.
• Confer with customers or supervising personnel to address questions, problems, or requests for service or equipment.
• Relay work orders, messages, or information to or from work crews, supervisors, or field inspectors, using telephones or two-way radios.
• Receive or prepare work orders.
• Record and maintain files or records of customer requests, work or services performed, charges, expenses, inventory, or other dispatch information.

Core tasks, O*NET OnLine, 43-5032.00.

What does it take to become one?

These occupations usually require a high school diploma.

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.

Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

O*NET Job Zone 2, SVP (4.0 to < 6.0). O*NET OnLine.

Employers commonly list experience with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Kronos Workforce Timekeeper, Microsoft Access for this role.

What do dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance get paid?

BLS OEWS, May 2025 publishes a wage for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance in 92 of the metro areas we publish data for. The median ranges from $38,140 to $60,780 a year depending on the metro, with a midpoint of $49,420. This is what employers pay, place of work, not a single national figure and not what any one person takes home.

BLS OEWS, BLS OEWS, May 2025, SOC 43-5032.

What does hiring one cost?

The same as any role: tier, not location or salary, sets the fee. Across all six tiers the published range is $6,240 to $54,340 per search. For scale, the highest median any metro we publish data for pays dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance is $60,780 a year, place of work (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A contingency firm hiring at that level would bill roughly $12,156 to $18,234 on the first year salary alone, 20 to 30%.

Frequently asked

How fast can a dispatcher search fill?

Typically 23 to 35 days, and typically 2 to 3x faster than a contingency search, per our recruiting partner's published figures. Both are typical rather than guaranteed.

What if the hire does not work out?

A 45-day replacement guarantee, at 50% off a repeat search for the same role.