Alaska comes in second on the list of top paying states for dispatchers in the United States for 2018. With a top ten percent salary range of nearly $90,000 ($43,20/hr) a year and a median of $57,120 ($27.46/hr) according to Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers, it maybe isn’t a big surprise that few dispatchers in Alaska are looking to change jobs anytime soon. The state’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development projects no increase in positions by 2026, and only around 40 openings per year from turnover.
Salaries at the Agencies Employing 911 Dispatchers in Alaska
The high salaries are well-earned in every part of the state. Alaska had the worst violent crime rate in the nation according to 2017 FBI data, and the second worst property crime rate. With those dangerous numbers and its miles of wilderness and sparse population, is a challenge for both communications and emergency services in every jurisdiction. Operating at the intersection of those challenging fields, dispatchers on the Last Frontier deserve every penny.
Anchorage – Includes
- Anchorage Fire Department Communications Center
- 10th percentile: $47,820
- Median: $78,170
- 90th percentile: $98,870
Even in a primarily rural state, dispatchers working in urban areas tend to make more money. Anchorage’s Fire Department Communications Center handles all 911 traffic for the municipality itself, plus several regional ambulance and rescue services and outlying volunteer departments.
Alaska Nonmetropolitan Area – Includes
- Fairbanks Emergency Communication Center
- Department of Public Safety Dispatch Center
- 10th percentile: $34,060
- Median: $50,710
- 90th percentile: $67,810
Salary Breakdown for 911 Dispatchers in Anchorage and Elsewhere
Rural Alaska presents real challenges for dispatchers and law enforcement. But this data also includes relatively large dispatch centers such as the Fairbanks Emergency Communication Center, which covers more than 20 police, fire, and EMS services ranging throughout the Fairbanks North Star Borough, Denali Borough and the Delta Community. Fairbanks is also the location of the state Department of Public Safety Dispatch Center, which handles services ranging from state troopers to the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Salary and employment data compiled by the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics in May of 2018. Figures represent accumulated data for all areas of employment for emergency services dispatchers https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_ak.htm#43-5031. BLS salary data represents state and MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) average and median earnings for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. This data does not represent starting salaries. Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Job growth projections sourced from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development and published in the U.S. Department of Labor-funded Long Term Occupational Projections (2016-2026) database – https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm.
All salary and job growth data accessed in June 2019.