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Boston Career Explorer

Office and Administrative Support

Public Safety Telecommunicators

Operate telephone, radio, or other communication systems to receive and communicate requests for emergency assistance at 9-1-1 public safety answering points and emergency operations centers. Take information from the public and other sources regarding crimes, threats, disturbances, acts of terrorism, fires, medical emergencies, and other public safety matters. May coordinate and provide information to law enforcement and emergency response personnel. May access sensitive databases and other information sources as needed. May provide additional instructions to callers based on knowledge of and certification in law enforcement, fire, or emergency medical procedures.

Also called: 911 Dispatcher, Communications Officer, Communications Operator, Communications Specialist, Emergency Communications Dispatcher, Emergency Communications Operator (ECO)

Compare with my current job (Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks)
Median pay in Greater Boston
$62,660
$30.12/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
1,660
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+4.1%
310 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
High school diploma or equivalent
plus Moderate-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$50,150$57,980$62,660$70,130$80,020

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Provide emergency medical instructions to callers.
  • Question callers to determine their locations and the nature of their problems to determine type of response needed.
  • Determine response requirements and relative priorities of situations, and dispatch units in accordance with established procedures.
  • Receive incoming telephone or alarm system calls regarding emergency and non-emergency police and fire service, emergency ambulance service, information, and after-hours calls for departments within a city.
  • Relay information and messages to and from emergency sites, to law enforcement agencies, and to all other individuals or groups requiring notification.
  • Record details of calls, dispatches, and messages.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure76 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 69
  • Language-model AIOE 68
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 92

Observed AI use today: Some (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure is higher for this job, and observed AI use is some. AI tools may help with taking down call details, suggesting priorities, and passing along information. Staying calm with someone in crisis, judging how urgent a situation is, and giving live medical instructions rely on people.

Likely to change

  • Logging call details and locations
  • Relaying messages and suggesting priorities

Still relies on people

  • Calming callers in a crisis
  • Judging urgency and giving medical instructions

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Paramedics

    Knowing emergency medical steps and working under pressure carry over. Boston pay is $66,460, with lower AI exposure, but you need postsecondary training.

    Pay difference
    +$3,800 median
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    MA growth
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  • Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers

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    Pay difference
    +$15,520 median
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    MA growth
    +4.7%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Detectives and Criminal Investigators

    Questioning people and checking facts carry over. Boston pay is $110,150, though AI exposure is moderate and the work includes writing reports.

    Pay difference
    +$47,490 median
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    MA growth
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    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

No college programs near Boston map to this job. Many people enter through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.

Talk to a career coach at the Office of Workforce Development about apprenticeships and City partner programs.

Related occupations

Talk to a career coach

A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.

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