Highest 911 dispatcher starting salaries in California, 2025

What a new 911 dispatcher is paid at each of 268 California cities, counties and regional agencies: the bottom of the official pay range for the employer's lowest 911 dispatcher title, as reported. The middle employer starts at $63,601.

What is the starting salary for a 911 dispatcher in California?

Lowest starting salary

$35,152

Huron
City in Fresno County

Middle starting salary, California 911 dispatchers1

$63,601

half of the 268 employers start higher, half lower

Highest starting salary

$116,750

Colma
City in San Mateo County

Employers compared
268
with an official range for their 911 dispatcher titles
Starting at $100,000 or more
16
employers
Average total pay
$126,606
what full-year 911 dispatchers earned, overtime included
Above the start
$59,308
full-year pay above the starting salary, middle employer

Which California employers pay new 911 dispatchers the most?

The 25 highest starting salaries: the bottom of the official range for each employer's lowest 911 dispatcher title, as reported for 2025.

Highest starting salary

  1. ColmaCity in San Mateo County
    Clerical/Dispatcher    $116,750
  2. MilpitasCity in Santa Clara County
    Comm Dispatcher    $114,890
  3. Los AltosCity in Santa Clara County
    Communications Officer    $114,763
  4. Palo AltoCity in Santa Clara County
    Public Safety Dispatcher - I    $109,441
  5. CampbellCity in Santa Clara County
    Pubic Safety Dispatcher    $108,514
  6. Santa ClaraCity government
    Public Safety Dispatcher I    $108,366
  7. Menlo ParkCity in San Mateo County
    Communications Dispatcher    $107,219
  8. Foster CityCity in San Mateo County
    Police Dispatcher    $105,712
  9. SunnyvaleCity in Santa Clara County
    Public Safety Dispatcher-In-Training    $105,472
  10. Los GatosCity in Santa Clara County
    Communication Dispatcher    $104,978
  11. San Ramon Valley Fire ProtectionFire protection district in Contra Costa County
    Public Safety Dispatcher 1    $104,716
  12. NewarkCity in Alameda County
    Public Safety Dispatcher    $104,187
  13. Santa Clara CountyCounty government
    Communications Dispatcher I    $101,758
  14. AthertonCity in San Mateo County
    Police Dispatcher/Record    $101,633
  15. Morgan HillCity in Santa Clara County
    Public Safety Dispatcher    $100,982
  16. FremontCity in Alameda County
    Police Communication Dispatch    $100,956
  17. San JoseCity in Santa Clara County
    Pol Radio Dispatcher Trainee    $98,564
  18. EmeryvilleCity in Alameda County
    Police Communications Dispatcher    $97,824
  19. South San FranciscoCity in San Mateo County
    Communications Dispatcher    $96,221
  20. San Mateo CountyCounty government
    Communications Dispatcher I    $96,179
  21. San FranciscoCity government
    Fire Alarm Dispatcher    $94,380
  22. MartinezCity in Contra Costa County
    4010 Police Dispatcher    $94,249
  23. OaklandCity in Alameda County
    Police Communications Operator    $93,619
  24. San LeandroCity in Alameda County
    Public Safety Dispatcher I    $92,100
  25. PleasantonCity in Alameda County
    Police Dispatcher    $91,523

Middle California employer, $63,601

Which California counties pay new 911 dispatchers the most?

The middle starting salary across each county's employers, where at least 3 report one.

Middle starting salary, 911 dispatchers, 2025under $52,000$52,000 to $57,000$57,000 to $65,000$65,000 to $75,000$75,000 or moreLeft outNone in the dataEach shade holds about a fifth of the counties. Outlines: US Census Bureau.
  1. Santa Clara County11 employers$105,472
  2. San Mateo County10 employers$96,200
  3. Alameda County13 employers$89,378
  4. Contra Costa County10 employers$81,770
  5. Napa County3 employers$76,702
  6. Solano County5 employers$75,526
  7. Marin County4 employers$75,393
  8. San Luis Obispo County5 employers$72,436
  9. San Joaquin County5 employers$71,916
  10. Sonoma County9 employers$71,345
  11. Orange County19 employers$70,387
  12. Ventura County6 employers$67,675

Compare 911 dispatcher starting salaries at every California employer

Starting salary, the title it belongs to, and what full-year 911 dispatchers at the same employer earned. Click a column to sort it.

Showing 1 to 25 of 268 employers, highest starting salary first.

ColmaSan Mateo CountySan Mateo$116,750Clerical/DispatcherFewer than 510
MilpitasSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$114,890Comm Dispatcher$154,68714
Los AltosSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$114,763Communications Officer$183,42012
Palo AltoSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$109,441Public Safety Dispatcher - I$194,27719
CampbellSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$108,514Pubic Safety Dispatcher$167,47712
Santa ClaraSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$108,366Public Safety Dispatcher I$205,66727
Menlo ParkSan Mateo CountySan Mateo$107,219Communications DispatcherFewer than 516
Foster CitySan Mateo CountySan Mateo$105,712Police Dispatcher$161,2578
SunnyvaleSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$105,472Public Safety Dispatcher-In-Training$200,65727
Los GatosSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$104,978Communication Dispatcher$157,57411
San Ramon Valley Fire ProtectionContra Costa CountyContra Costa$104,716Public Safety Dispatcher 1$211,55015
NewarkAlameda CountyAlameda$104,187Public Safety Dispatcher$157,07615
Santa Clara CountySanta Clara CountySanta Clara$101,758Communications Dispatcher I$175,376108
AthertonSan Mateo CountySan Mateo$101,633Police Dispatcher/Record$181,7217
Morgan HillSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$100,982Public Safety Dispatcher$154,06711
FremontAlameda CountyAlameda$100,956Police Communication Dispatch$165,27726
San JoseSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$98,564Pol Radio Dispatcher Trainee$158,290107
EmeryvilleAlameda CountyAlameda$97,824Police Communications Dispatcher$160,51511
South San FranciscoSan Mateo CountySan Mateo$96,221Communications Dispatcher$155,59220
San Mateo CountySan Mateo CountySan Mateo$96,179Communications Dispatcher I$183,45474
San FranciscoSan Francisco CountySan Francisco$94,380Fire Alarm Dispatcher$192,456231
MartinezContra Costa CountyContra Costa$94,2494010 Police Dispatcher$158,14110
OaklandAlameda CountyAlameda$93,619Police Communications Operator$165,752118
San LeandroAlameda CountyAlameda$92,100Public Safety Dispatcher I$155,68220
PleasantonAlameda CountyAlameda$91,523Police Dispatcher$138,77715

Starting salary: the bottom of the official range for the employer's lowest 911 dispatcher title, as reported. "Fewer than 5": fewer than 5 dispatchers worked the full year, too few for an average.

Questions about 911 dispatcher starting salaries in California

Which California employer has the highest starting salary for 911 dispatchers?

Colma: $116,750 a year, the bottom of the official range for its Clerical/Dispatcher title in 2025. Milpitas ($114,890) and Los Altos ($114,763) follow.

What is the starting salary for a 911 dispatcher in California?

It depends on the employer. Across the 268 California employers that report a range, the middle starting salary is $63,601 a year; the highest is $116,750, the lowest $35,152.

How much more do 911 dispatchers earn than their starting salary?

At the middle employer, full-year 911 dispatchers earned $59,308 more on average than the starting salary in 2025. Steps with years of service, promotions within the job and overtime make up the difference.

Which California county pays new 911 dispatchers the most?

Santa Clara County, where the middle starting salary across 11 employers is $105,472, followed by San Mateo County ($96,200) and Alameda County ($89,378).

Sources for the California starting salaries

Starting salaries are the bottom of each employer's official pay range for its lowest 911 dispatcher title, as the employer reported it. Some employers report the range for a title that already needs experience or a certificate; the table names the title so you can check. Average total pay covers only people who worked roughly the full year, and every pay figure covers at least 5 people.

  1. State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: official pay ranges and wages as reported by each employer.

How we read the data