The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation expects to see about 120 openings every year for 911 operators between 2016 and 2026 as a result of normal turnover in existing jobs.
The good news is that the median pay for the positions that are available is better than the national median, coming in at $46,290 ($22.25/hr). The top ten percent are in line with the national median, making $62,360 ($29.98/hr).
Considering that Baltimore once again took the lead as the murder capital of the United States in the FBI’s 2017 crime statistics, that money is well-earned, and the lines are lit up on all shifts.
Salaries at the Agencies Employing 911 Dispatchers in Maryland
Although Baltimore is infamous for its violent crime rate, there is more to Maryland than just the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson region. Although that’s where the bulk of the dispatchers are employed, those in rural areas further south along the Chesapeake Bay have a different set of concerns over response times, overlapping jurisdictions, and handling cellular network calls.
A 2019 bill introduced in the state legislature to fund better geolocation technology is expected to help make that role easier.
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson – Includes:
- Anne Arundel County Police Department
- Baltimore County 9-1-1 Center
- Baltimore City Police Department
- Howard County Emergency Communications Center
- 10th percentile: $17.53/hr / $36,460
- Median: $23.20/hr / $48,260
- 90th percentile: $30.14/hr / $62,690
Baltimore’s crime rate is infamously higher than the national average, which makes for a lot of work for dispatchers. Baltimore County 911 is one of the three largest PSAPs in Maryland, averaging more than 2,000 calls per day.
Salisbury – Includes:
- Wicomico County Emergency Services
- Worcester County 9-1-1 Center
- Somerset County Department Of Emergency Services
- 10th percentile: $12.78/hr / $26,570
- Median: $17.37/hr / $36,140
- 90th percentile: $22,57/hr / $46,940
Somerset County’s DES handles dispatch for 8 fire companies, 2 EMS companies and 3 police agencies along the east shore of the Chesapeake Bay, while Worcester county’s 911 center dispatches 9 out of the 10 fire companies and 6 out of 7 ambulance companies in that county.
A Full Breakdown of 911 Dispatcher Salaries Across Maryland
Big-city Baltimore brings in the big bucks for dispatchers, but at the price of demanding, big-city call volumes and high crime rates.
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_md.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 Maryland 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.