With a steady demand for 911 operators in the coming years and 390 annual job openings, according to the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, New Jersey’s outlook for this profession is consistent and dependable.
The Garden State’s 911 operators enjoy a strong, median salary of $46,510/$22.36, and those in the top 10% earn an impressive $65,980.
Agencies and Jurisdictions Employing Dispatchers in New Jersey
911 operations in New Jersey are led by the Office of Emergency Telecommunication Services, which requires that each of the state’s 566 municipalities have its own primary PSAP. Each county also has its own designated county 911 coordinator who works with the state, municipalities, and PSAPs to ensure a streamlined 911 statewide network.
There are 18 PSAPs alone in the Atlantic City-Hammonton metro area, and 200 911 operators working there.
Atlantic City-Hammonton, includes:
- Stockton State University Police
- Egg Harbor City
- Buena Borough Police Department
- Mays Landing Police Department
- Atlantic County Sheriff’s Department
There are a total of 280 911 operators working in the Trenton metro area, and the median salary for these professionals is about $2,000 more than the state average.
Trenton, includes:
- Trenton Police
- Mercer County Emergency Services
- New Jersey State Police Operational Dispatch Unit Central, Troop C Headquarters
- New Jersey State Police Call Center, Division Headquarters
- Princeton University 911
- 10th percentile: $33,970/$16.33
- Median: $48,190/$23.17
- 90th percentile: $68,440/$32.90
What You’ll Earn and Where: Employment and Salary Averages for 911 Operators in New Jersey
Regardless of where you work in New Jersey, you can bet you’ll earn a median salary that exceeds the national average of $40,660. Work in either the Trenton or Vineland metro area and you’ll earn a median salary that also beats out the state average. In Trenton, you’ll earn about $2,000 more than the state average, while in Vineland, you’ll earn about $12,000 more.
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_nj.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 New Jersey 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.