Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance Salary
The median pay for a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance in Florida is $45,880/year ($22.06/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $46,541 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,658/month, about 50.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $46K get you in Florida?
About dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances
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What this looks like in Florida
Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance pay in Florida tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $50K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,658/month, which is 51.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florida
Entry-level dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance salary by metro in Florida
22 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocala | $51K | +10% | 170 |
| Wildwood-The Villages | $50K | +9% | 50 |
| Jacksonville | $49K | +6% | 1,120 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $49K | +6% | 420 |
| Naples-Marco Island | $48K | +6% | 160 |
| Port St. Lucie | $48K | +4% | 220 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $46K | +0% | 3,550 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor | $46K | +0% | 40 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $46K | -0% | 420 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $45K | -1% | 310 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $45K | -2% | 2,290 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $45K | -2% | 210 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $45K | -2% | 1,820 |
| Tallahassee | $45K | -2% | 140 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin | $45K | -2% | 140 |
| Gainesville | $45K | -3% | 130 |
| Punta Gorda | $45K | -3% | 70 |
| Homosassa Springs | $44K | -3% | 40 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach | $44K | -3% | 90 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent | $44K | -4% | 180 |
| Sebring | $42K | -8% | 40 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $39K | -15% | 270 |
Showing 1–10 of 22 metros
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 51.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,121/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 78% 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 Florida?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $50K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Florida compare to the national average for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances?
Florida pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — below the national median.
How much do dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances make in Florida?
The median is $45,880 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,350, and experienced dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances can clear $69,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,242/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 51.1% 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 Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (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 $46,541 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.