Maine’s Center for Workforce Research and Information indicates that only 70 openings a year will come up for dispatchers between 2016 and 2026, the result of a 2.8 percent growth rate in the profession and relatively low turnover.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the hourly median wage for the position is $19.53, which comes out to an annual salary of $40,630—almost exactly at the national median. In the top ten percent, the annual salary is $50,920 ($24.48/hr).
Salaries at the Agencies Employing 911 Dispatchers in Maine
Maine 911 operations are well-organized into regional communication centers which consolidate emergency police, fire, and EMS call-taking and dispatch for surrounding areas. Somewhat confusingly, however, regions can overlap, with, for example, Cumberland County RCC, Portland RCC, and DPS August RCC all handling various agencies and towns within Cumberland County.
Portland-South Portland – Includes:
- Cumberland County Regional Communication Center
- Portland Regional Communication Center
- Sagadahoc County Communications Center
- 10th percentile: $16.25/hr / $33,800
- Median: $18.01/hr / $37,470
- 90th percentile: $27.16/hr / $56,500
Cumberland RCC provides PSAP services for 18 out of the 28 communities within the county.
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area – Includes:
- Department of Public Safety Augusta Regional Communication Center
- Sanford Regional Communication Center
- Somerset County Regional Communication Center
- 10th percentile: $15.96/hr / $33,200
- Median: $20.13/hr / $41,860
- 90th percentile: $24.71/hr / $51,390
The state Department of Public Safety Augusta RCC serves Kennebec, Waldo, Knox, Franklin, Somerset, Lincoln, and Sagadahoc counties, and recently absorbed the operations for Gray RCC covering the remainders of southwest Maine, including Cumberland county areas not handled by Cumberland RCC.
A Full Breakdown of 911 Dispatcher Salaries Across Maine
Portland and the Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan areas are the only parts of the state where dispatchers make above the national median, and also provide the top two areas in the state in terms of salaries for dispatchers earning in the upper ten percent.
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_me.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 Maine Workforce Research and Information 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.