Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance Salary in Boston, MA
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median $56,560 a year — 12% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $45,018 take-home, or $3,751 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance salary in Boston, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,607
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,507
- Medicare (1.45%)$820
- Massachusetts income tax$2,608
- Take-home pay$45,018
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro spans Massachusetts, New Hampshire. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance pay by experience in Boston, MA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $43,750 | $21.03 | $35,366 | $2,947 |
| 25th percentile | $47,800 | $22.98 | $38,417 | $3,201 |
| Median (50th) | $56,560 | $27.19 | $45,018 | $3,751 |
| 75th percentile | $66,670 | $32.05 | $52,619 | $4,385 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $79,860 | $38.39 | $61,239 | $5,103 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $56,560 buys in Boston, MA
Prices in Boston, MA are 8.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.48× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance's $45,018 take-home pay has the buying power of $41,581 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance jobs are less concentrated in Boston, MA than nationally (location quotient 0.69), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance, adjusted for cost of living
Boston, MA ranks #4 of 13 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $59,340 | $49,860 | $44,865 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $57,160 | $45,839 | $42,099 |
| 3 | Houston, TX | $48,550 | $41,190 | $41,762 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $56,560 | $45,018 | $41,581 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $58,180 | $46,383 | $41,206 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $51,170 | $41,724 | $40,685 |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $58,610 | $46,945 | $40,605 |
| 8 | Riverside, CA | $52,000 | $42,117 | $39,568 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 13 metros →
About the job: dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
Schedule and dispatch workers, work crews, equipment, or service vehicles for conveyance of materials, freight, or passengers, or for normal installation, service, or emergency repairs rendered outside the place of business. Duties may include using radio, telephone, or computer to transmit assignments and compiling statistics and reports on work progress.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -0.7% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance make in Boston, MA?
The median dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance salary in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area is $56,560 a year, or about $27.19 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $47,800 and $66,670.
What is a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance’s take-home pay in Boston, MA?
On the median $56,560 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $45,018 a year ($3,751 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,608 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.
Is Boston, MA a good place to work as a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance?
Pay here is 12% above the national median of $50,340. Local prices are 8.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $41,581 would in a typical U.S. city. Boston, MA ranks #4 of 13 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance afford rent in Boston, MA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Boston, MA is $2,276 a month ($2,762 for two bedrooms) — 61% of a median dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Boston, MA
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- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk — $66,930
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks — $62,850
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- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $61,490
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