Earnings at the National Level

• According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, these professionals earned a mean annual rate of $36,900 and $17.74 per hour in 2010. Those in the 90th percentile earned at or above $54,350 and $26.13 per hour in 2010. Those in the 50th percentile earned at or below $35,370 and $17.00 hourly, while those in the 10th percentile earned at or below $22,310 and $10.73 per hour in 2010.
  
  

Earnings by Industry

• Enterprise and company management offered the highest mean annual salary of $41,390 and $19.90 per hour in 2010. State governments paid the second highest with a mean annual rate of $40,750 and an hourly rate of $19.59. Wireless telecommunications carriers paid the third highest annual salary of $40,650 and $19.54 per hour. Elementary and secondary schools paid the fourth highest mean annual rate of $37,490 and $18.03 in 2010.
  
  

Earnings by State

• The state of California has the highest mean annual rate of $54,240 and $26.08 per hour in 2010. Nevada offered the second highest mean annual rate of $52,300 and $25.15 per hour in the same year. Oregon has the third highest mean yearly salary of $46,550 and $22.38 per hour. Washington has the fourth highest mean annual salary of $46,020 and $22.12 in 2010.
  
  

Earnings by Metropolitan Area

• The area including San Jose, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara in California paid the highest mean annual rate of $74,740 and $35.93 per hour in 2010. Oakland, Fremont and Hayward in California paid the second highest mean annual rate of $65,970 and $31.72 per hour. Vallejo and Fairfield in California paid the third highest mean yearly compensation of $63,950 and $30.75. Stockton, California paid the fourth highest mean yearly rate of $61,710 and $29.67 in 2010.
  
  

Job Outlook

• EMS dispatchers will have an increase of 10 to 20 percent in job openings by the end of this decade. Emergency services will be in need of these professionals as the population continues to rise. Those wanting to enter this field can be competitive by learning foreign languages, have effective communication skills and first aid training. It also helps to get training in telecommunications, typing and computers.