Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance Salary
The median pay for a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance in Lawton, OK is $42,270/year ($20.32/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.94), which stretches that salary to about $49,185 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,001/month, about 34.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K get you in Lawton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lawton’s Regional Price Parity (85.94). 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
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What this looks like in Lawton
Pay for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance in Lawton runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $50K. Rent runs $1,001/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.94 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances in metros near Lawton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City | $48K | $53K |
| Tulsa | $44K | $49K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $48K | $47K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $49K | $49K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lawton, OK
Entry-level dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $37K 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)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lawton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 34.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,001/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Lawton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,671/month. At HUD’s $1,001/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 Lawton?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $42K here vs. $50K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lawton compare to the national average for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances?
Lawton pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances make in Lawton, OK?
The median is $42,270 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,850, and experienced dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances can clear $64,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Lawton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,874/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,001/month, which eats 34.8% 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 Lawton?
Lawton has a Regional Price Parity of 85.94 (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 $49,185 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.