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Salary comparison

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance vs. Office Clerks, General: Who Earns More?

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance out-earn Office Clerks, General by $5K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance land at $50,340 and Office Clerks, General at $45,010. The education gap is real: dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while office clerks, general programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance is District of Columbia ($72,260); for Office Clerks, General it's District of Columbia ($55,040).

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
Office Clerks, General
Median salary
$50,340
$45,010
Hourly rate
$24.2/hr
$21.64/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$36,030
$30,310
Senior level (90th %)
$78,140
$64,680
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
202,810
2,464,940
Job growth (10-year)
-0.9%
-6.7%
Category
Office & Admin
Office & Admin
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance median pay.

State
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
Office Clerks, General
District of Columbia
$72,260
$55,040
Washington
$59,330
$50,500
Minnesota
$59,220
$47,840
North Dakota
$57,580
$50,160
Alaska
$56,730
$51,890
Vermont
$56,360
$48,310
Massachusetts
$55,690
$49,940
Oregon
$54,980
$49,910
New Jersey
$54,590
$48,570
Colorado
$54,070
$53,550
New Hampshire
$52,770
$49,020
California
$52,350
$48,460
Maryland
$51,350
$47,270
Rhode Island
$49,320
$47,830
Connecticut
$47,960
$48,280

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance or Office Clerks, General?

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance earn more nationally. The median is $50,340 for Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance versus $45,010 for Office Clerks, General, a difference of $5K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance or Office Clerks, General?

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance has the better 10-year outlook at -0.9% projected growth, compared to -6.7% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance or Office Clerks, General?

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Office Clerks, General requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance at $72,260/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance vs. Office Clerks, General pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance earn $72,260 vs. $55,040 for Office Clerks, General. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance salary breakdownView →Full Office Clerks, General salary breakdownView →Best cities for Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Office Clerks, General by take-home payExplore →How to become a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulanceGuide →How to become a office clerks, generalGuide →