Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance Salary
The median pay for a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance in Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL is $39,040/year ($18.77/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 84.82), which stretches that salary to about $46,027 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,000/month, about 37.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Florence-Muscle Shoals?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Florence-Muscle Shoals’s Regional Price Parity (84.82). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Florence-Muscle Shoals
Pay for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance in Florence-Muscle Shoals runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,000/month, which is 38% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 84.82 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 15% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances in metros near Florence-Muscle Shoals, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $48K | $52K |
| Mobile | $45K | $51K |
| Montgomery | $49K | $54K |
| Huntsville | $47K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL
Entry-level dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $72K | +44% | 300 |
| Washington | $59K | +18% | 4,920 |
| Minnesota | $59K | +18% | 2,760 |
| North Dakota | $58K | +14% | 600 |
| Illinois | $57K | +14% | N/A |
| Delaware | $57K | +14% | 670 |
| Alaska | $57K | +13% | 570 |
| Vermont | $56K | +12% | 260 |
| New York | $56K | +11% | 11,160 |
| Massachusetts | $56K | +11% | 3,510 |
| Maine | $55K | +10% | 670 |
| Oregon | $55K | +9% | 3,290 |
| New Jersey | $55K | +8% | 6,420 |
| Colorado | $54K | +7% | 3,470 |
| Nebraska | $54K | +7% | 1,500 |
| New Hampshire | $53K | +5% | 710 |
| Hawaii | $53K | +4% | 950 |
| California | $52K | +4% | 23,970 |
| Wisconsin | $52K | +4% | 3,240 |
| Missouri | $51K | +2% | 4,340 |
| Maryland | $51K | +2% | 3,310 |
| Utah | $51K | +1% | 2,040 |
| Virginia | $51K | +1% | 5,830 |
| Ohio | $50K | -0% | 5,720 |
| Indiana | $50K | -1% | 4,090 |
| Kentucky | $50K | -1% | 2,440 |
| Pennsylvania | $50K | -1% | 6,670 |
| Idaho | $50K | -1% | 1,430 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -1% | 4,190 |
| Michigan | $49K | -2% | 5,390 |
| Rhode Island | $49K | -2% | 530 |
| Georgia | $49K | -2% | 6,190 |
| Alabama | $49K | -3% | 1,780 |
| Wyoming | $49K | -3% | 240 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -4% | 5,740 |
| Connecticut | $48K | -5% | 2,220 |
| Nevada | $48K | -5% | 2,840 |
| Arizona | $48K | -5% | 5,690 |
| South Carolina | $48K | -6% | 2,440 |
| Texas | $47K | -6% | 23,920 |
| Kansas | $47K | -6% | 1,670 |
| Montana | $47K | -6% | 810 |
| Arkansas | $47K | -6% | 1,780 |
| Louisiana | $47K | -7% | 2,980 |
| Iowa | $47K | -7% | 1,460 |
| West Virginia | $47K | -7% | 880 |
| Florida | $46K | -9% | 12,550 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -9% | 2,000 |
| Oklahoma | $45K | -11% | 2,180 |
| New Mexico | $44K | -13% | 1,350 |
| South Dakota | $44K | -13% | 860 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florence-Muscle Shoals numbers change.
Related careers in Office & Admin
Frequently asked questions
Can a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florence-Muscle Shoals?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 38% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,000/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances in Florence-Muscle Shoals?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,959/month. At HUD’s $1,000/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance a high-paying job in Florence-Muscle Shoals?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $39K here vs. $50K nationally. Cost of living is 15% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Florence-Muscle Shoals compare to the national average for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances?
Florence-Muscle Shoals pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 84.82), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.
How much do dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances make in Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL?
The median is $39,040 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,650, and experienced dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances can clear $57,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Florence-Muscle Shoals?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,635/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,000/month, which eats 38% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance salary go in Florence-Muscle Shoals?
Florence-Muscle Shoals has a Regional Price Parity of 84.82 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance salary is worth about $46,027 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.