Jobs Similar to Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
Also called: Dispatchers, Except Police and Ambulance
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Freight Forwarders, Office Clerks and Postal Service Clerks.
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance: $50,340 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Freight ForwardersSame group | 79% | $52,260Broader BLS group · not compared | High school |
| 2 | Office Clerks, General | 78% | $45,010−11% | High school |
| 3 | Postal Service ClerksSame group | 77% | $62,130+23% | High school |
| 4 | Security Guards | 76% | $38,020−24% | High school |
| 5 | File Clerks | 76% | $43,600−13% | High school |
| 6 | Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators | 76% | $43,370−14% | High school |
| 7 | Retail Loss Prevention Specialists | 76% | $42,540Broader BLS group · not compared | High school |
| 8 | Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks | 76% | $35,070−30% | High school |
| 9 | Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | 76% | $107,230+113% | Bachelor's degree |
| 10 | Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service | 76% | $38,630−23% | High school |
| 11 | Air Traffic Controllers | 76% | $148,080+194% | Training or associate |
| 12 | First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers | 75% | $55,940+11% | High school |
| 13 | Procurement Clerks | 75% | $50,5800% | High school |
| 14 | Correctional Officers and Jailers | 75% | $58,940+17% | High school |
| 15 | Postmasters and Mail Superintendents | 75% | $96,660+92% | High school |
| 16 | First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers | 74% | $48,590−3% | Training or associate |
| 17 | Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | 74% | $58,650+17% | High school |
| 18 | Transit and Railroad Police | 74% | $90,230+79% | Training or associate |
| 19 | Public Safety TelecommunicatorsSame group | 74% | $53,040+5% | High school |
| 20 | Bailiffs | 74% | $56,600+12% | Training or associate |
- 1Freight Forwarders
79% similar · $52,260 (broader group) · High school · Same group
- 2Office Clerks, General
78% similar · $45,010 (−11%) · High school
- 3Postal Service Clerks
77% similar · $62,130 (+23%) · High school · Same group
- 4Security Guards
76% similar · $38,020 (−24%) · High school
- 5File Clerks
76% similar · $43,600 (−13%) · High school
- 6Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators
76% similar · $43,370 (−14%) · High school
- 7Retail Loss Prevention Specialists
76% similar · $42,540 (broader group) · High school
- 8Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks
76% similar · $35,070 (−30%) · High school
- 9Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
76% similar · $107,230 (+113%) · Bachelor's degree
- 10Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service
76% similar · $38,630 (−23%) · High school
- 11Air Traffic Controllers
76% similar · $148,080 (+194%) · Training or associate
- 12First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers
75% similar · $55,940 (+11%) · High school
- 13Procurement Clerks
75% similar · $50,580 (0%) · High school
- 14Correctional Officers and Jailers
75% similar · $58,940 (+17%) · High school
- 15Postmasters and Mail Superintendents
75% similar · $96,660 (+92%) · High school
- 16First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers
74% similar · $48,590 (−3%) · Training or associate
- 17Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers
74% similar · $58,650 (+17%) · High school
- 18Transit and Railroad Police
74% similar · $90,230 (+79%) · Training or associate
- 19Public Safety Telecommunicators
74% similar · $53,040 (+5%) · High school · Same group
- 20Bailiffs
74% similar · $56,600 (+12%) · Training or associate
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance.
- Postmasters and Mail Superintendents75% similar · $96,660 (+92%)
- Postal Service Clerks77% similar · $62,130 (+23%)
- Correctional Officers and Jailers75% similar · $58,940 (+17%)
- Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers74% similar · $58,650 (+17%)
- First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers75% similar · $55,940 (+11%)
- Public Safety Telecommunicators74% similar · $53,040 (+5%)
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs for former dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance →
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service (83)
- Security Guards (80)
- Telephone Operators (80)
- Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors (79)
- Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks (79)
- Crossing Guards and Flaggers (77)
- File Clerks (76)
- Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators (76)
- Parking Enforcement Workers (76)
- Retail Loss Prevention Specialists (76)
Questions about jobs like dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
What jobs are most similar to dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Freight Forwarders (79% similar), Office Clerks (78% similar), Postal Service Clerks (77% similar), Security Guards (76% similar) and File Clerks (76% similar).
Which jobs like dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Air Traffic Controllers ($148,080, +194%; usually training or an associate degree), Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers ($107,230, +113%; usually a bachelor's degree) and Postmasters and Mail Superintendents ($96,660, +92%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance ($50,340). Without more preparation than dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance usually need: Postmasters and Mail Superintendents, Postal Service Clerks and Correctional Officers and Jailers.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.