California 911 dispatcher salaries by employer, 2025

7,630 people worked as 911 dispatchers for 299 cities, counties and regional agencies in California in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $126,606, overtime included.

What is the average 911 dispatcher salary in California?

Lowest-paying employer

$71,262

Trinity County
County government

Average total pay, full-year California 911 dispatchers1

$126,606

average base pay $92,829

Highest-paying employer

$217,978

Mountain View
City in Santa Clara County

Highest- and lowest-paying among the 128 employers with at least 10 full-year dispatchers. The lists below include every employer with at least 5.

911 dispatchers
7,630
4,942 of them worked the full year
Employers
299
280 with 5 or more dispatchers, in 53 counties
Median total pay
$120,984
the middle 911 dispatcher: half earned more, half less
Overtime
$23,178
average per full-year 911 dispatcher

Employers also paid an average of $15,516 into pensions and $16,187 for health, dental and vision cover per full-year 911 dispatcher, on top of wages.1

What stands out in California 911 dispatcher pay

Which California employers pay 911 dispatchers the most?

By average total pay of full-year dispatchers, among employers with at least 5 of them.

Highest average total pay

  1. Mountain ViewCity in Santa Clara County
    10 full-year dispatchers    $217,978
  2. San Ramon Valley Fire ProtectionFire protection district in Contra Costa County
    11 full-year dispatchers    $211,550
  3. RichmondCity in Contra Costa County
    8 full-year dispatchers    $206,109
  4. Santa ClaraCity government
    10 full-year dispatchers    $205,667
  5. SunnyvaleCity in Santa Clara County
    16 full-year dispatchers    $200,657
  6. Orange County Fire AuthorityJoint powers authority in Orange County
    28 full-year dispatchers    $196,274
  7. Palo AltoCity in Santa Clara County
    17 full-year dispatchers    $194,277
  8. San FranciscoCity government
    162 full-year dispatchers    $192,456
  9. San MateoCity government
    13 full-year dispatchers    $186,934
  10. BurlingameCity in San Mateo County
    5 full-year dispatchers    $185,514

California average, $126,606

Highest 911 dispatcher salaries in California: the top employers by total pay, base pay and starting salary

Highest 911 dispatcher starting salaries in California: every employer compared

Compare 911 dispatcher pay at every California employer

Official pay range across each employer's dispatcher titles, and what full-year dispatchers earned. Click a column to sort it.

Showing 1 to 25 of 280 employers, highest average total pay first.

Mountain ViewSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$217,978$60,110$117,946 to $157,673122% at 62
San Ramon Valley Fire ProtectionContra Costa CountyContra Costa$211,550$47,297$104,716 to $155,583152.5% at 67
RichmondContra Costa CountyContra Costa$206,109$78,827$75,092 to $131,521172% at 62
Santa ClaraSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$205,667$29,072$108,366 to $173,840272% at 62
SunnyvaleSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$200,657$43,316$105,472 to $170,670272% at 62
Orange County Fire AuthorityOrange CountyOrange$196,274$86,750$68,155 to $102,315422.5% at 67
Palo AltoSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$194,277$36,563$109,441 to $256,942192% at 62
San FranciscoSan Francisco CountySan Francisco$192,456$50,964$79,196 to $160,3682312.7% at 58
San MateoSan Mateo CountySan Mateo$186,934$52,842$49,478 to $157,186202% at 62
BurlingameSan Mateo CountySan Mateo$185,514$68,985$72,800 to $111,291122.5% at 55
Redondo BeachLos Angeles CountyLos Angeles$184,545$88,429$58,380 to $111,756132% at 62
San Mateo CountySan Mateo CountySan Mateo$183,454$35,420$96,179 to $175,510742% at 62
Los AltosSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$183,420$17,282$114,763 to $165,865122.7% at 55
Costa MesaOrange CountyOrange$182,580$47,651$73,932 to $143,496212% at 62
AthertonSan Mateo CountySan Mateo$181,721$40,087$101,633 to $166,96172% at 62
San Diego Unified Port DistrictSan Diego CountySan Diego$181,551$54,348$73,008 to $143,874103% at 60
Ventura CountyVentura CountyVentura$179,292$39,007$73,290 to $137,434402% at 62
Santa Clara CountySanta Clara CountySanta Clara$175,376$22,631$101,758 to $187,4101082% at 62
Alameda CountyAlameda CountyAlameda$172,808$45,047$80,142 to $138,715622% at 62
LivermoreAlameda CountyAlameda$172,084$32,540$88,483 to $135,440172.7% at 55
HaywardAlameda CountyAlameda$171,711$47,526$89,378 to $150,530422% at 62
Contra Costa CountyContra Costa CountyContra Costa$167,731$41,567$87,578 to $142,209842.5% at 67
CampbellSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$167,477$17,965$108,514 to $152,651122.5% at 55
OaklandAlameda CountyAlameda$165,752$34,795$93,619 to $146,3901182% at 62
Beverly HillsLos Angeles CountyLos Angeles$165,747$54,419$81,701 to $164,628182.5% at 55

"Fewer than 5": fewer than 5 dispatchers worked the full year, too few for an average. "Not reported": the employer reported no pay range, so we can't tell who worked the full year. Employers with fewer than 5 dispatchers aren't listed.

Every California employer with a 911 dispatcher pay page, by county

280 employers with at least 5 dispatchers. Open a county to see its employers. Employers without an average had fewer than 5 full-year dispatchers, or their records don't show who worked the full year. The map shades each county by the average total pay of full-year dispatchers across its employers; click a county to open its list.

Average total pay, full-year 911 dispatchers, 2025under $82,000$82,000 to $100,000$100,000 to $117,000$117,000 to $138,000$138,000 or moreLeft outNo employer in the dataEach shade holds about a fifth of the counties. Outlines: US Census Bureau.

Questions about 911 dispatcher pay in California

How much do 911 dispatchers make in California?

Full-year 911 dispatchers (often called 911 operators) in California earned an average of $126,606 in 2025, including an average of $23,178 in overtime. The middle dispatcher earned $120,984: half earned more, half less.

Which California employer pays 911 dispatchers the most?

Among employers with at least 10 full-year dispatchers, Mountain View has the highest average total pay, $217,978, followed by San Ramon Valley Fire Protection ($211,550) and Santa Clara ($205,667).

Which California employer pays 911 dispatchers the least?

Among employers with at least 10 full-year dispatchers, Trinity County has the lowest average total pay, $71,262, followed by Porterville ($72,916) and Merced ($75,377).

Who employs 911 dispatchers in California?

Cities, counties and regional agencies. The largest employers are Los Angeles (616 dispatchers), San Diego (250) and Riverside County (245).

Sources for the California 911 dispatcher figures

Every person who held a 911 dispatcher position at any point in 2025 counts toward the headcount. Pay figures use only people who worked roughly the full year: those whose regular pay reached at least 90% of the bottom of their official range. Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people.

  1. State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formulas and employer contributions as reported by each city, county and special district.
  2. Association of Bay Area Governments, Our Members: the nine Bay Area counties.

How we read the data