Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance Salary
The median pay for a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance in Illinois is $57,240/year ($27.52/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $60,991 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 37.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $57K get you in Illinois?
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 Illinois
Illinois sits well above the national pay line for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,407/month, which is 37.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance salary by metro in Illinois
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $59K | +3% | N/A |
| Decatur | $57K | -1% | 50 |
| Champaign-Urbana | $56K | -2% | 100 |
| Springfield | $55K | -4% | 80 |
| Rockford | $51K | -11% | 140 |
| Bloomington | $50K | -12% | 50 |
| Kankakee | $49K | -15% | 40 |
| Peoria | $48K | -16% | 140 |
Compare to other states
Track dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
Related careers in Office & Admin
Frequently asked questions
Can a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 37.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,243/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Illinois?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $57K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances?
Illinois pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances make in Illinois?
The median is $57,240 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,380, and experienced dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances can clear $83,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,767/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 37.4% 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 Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (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 $60,991 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.