Also called: Public Safety Telecommunicator, Emergency Dispatcher
Answers emergency calls and sends police, fire, and ambulances where they're needed.
Dispatchers answer calls from people in the worst moments of their lives, staying calm while typing details, giving CPR instructions, and radioing units, often all at once. Shifts can be 12 hours and include holidays. Fast typing and a steady voice are key.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. High school diploma, typing and multitasking tests, and certification such as APCO or emergency medical dispatch.
Ways in: On-the-job training, Certification. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Emergency Management, Criminal Justice.
Growing about average (about 3% over 10 years). BLS public safety telecommunicators 2024-34.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI already handles many non-emergency calls and transcribes; calming callers and sending help stay human.
Age 18+. One way to start: Apply on your city or county jobs site for 911 dispatcher trainee openings; pass the typing and multitasking test First: Typing and multitasking tests plus a background check; certification happens in paid training
Classes: Keyboarding, Psychology, Spanish, Health / first aid.
Official data: O*NET occupation 43-5031.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.