I am currently in school studying in the dispatch track of the Aerospace/Aviation Technology degree. I know that regionals do not pay well at all and I am rethinking my career path. How much can dispatchers expect to make after gaining experience? How long does it typically take to make more than $30,000?
Dispatcher Salaries
- Thread starter Doolittle
- Start date
Reek
Well-Known Member
Most regionals start just above 30k. Other thread mentioned Compass starting 16/hr which equates to 33200. Expect a top out in the mid 40s at the regionals after 5-10 years. Majors starting more in the 50s and 60s now.
DispatcherSam
Well-Known Member
It's doable if you are willing to make sacrifices. Just keep telling yourself that it will eventually pay off immensely.
BayouMLU
Well-Known Member
That depends on how hard of a worker you are. OT is almost always available at regionals right now where hiring is just about constant.
Reek
Well-Known Member
ot is going to vary by shop with respect to their growth, or lack thereof, and turnover. PSA was obtaining a set number of CRJs a month from envoy and with the turnover OT was always available.. I was initially on track to make 30k, but with OT 36k. They seemed to be always behind the hiring curve, though.
Burrito
Position And Hold My Beer
Short answer.... Not much, but it doesn't take long. But...........
Welcome to the funhouse! As others have said, the regionals are hiring like mad, and high turnover across the board is good news for newcomers. As for monetary concerns, ... you're probably in the wrong field. ... unless you're willing to relocate and accommodate. I myself grew up in Philly, left for NH, went to get my license in FL, resumed employment in NH, and dropped everything for my first 121 here in OH. It's been hectic, but I'm having a blast. And I'm pretty sure the entirety of the dispatch team is here in one form or another...
@DispatcherSam puts it well - it pays off immensely. Who doesn't enjoy flight benefits? Work half a week, trade a day if you can, and go to [Fill in a city/state/country you want to go visit]!
@Reek mentions the regional/major pay diff - that's to be expected. If you're clicking around the forum, watch how fast those posts show up about [Airline X] hiring and then the comparisons between payscales, QOL, places to live/drink/etc. Really, this is a hot time to get in. Good luck with whatever decisions you make,
- B
Flagship_dxer
Penske Material
At the majors at top of scale, you will be making between 10-12K per month base salary. To me it seems a no-brainer. You put your time in at the regionals within a few years are on track to make a lot of money. Dispatch jobs generally are pretty stable. No performance reviews. No medical required. The annual comp checks are not that difficult. Once you have seniority, you are safe from furloughs. Basically, as long as you show up to work you can keep your job. You wont be making a lot of money to start but you need to think long term. Dispatch is a very good long term investment.
pljenkins
Resident Knucklehead
I'm terms of return on investment, dispatch has to be one of the best deals out there. Not many fields do you drop $5k for the training and end up in a field where some people can potentially make a quarter million a year. Even starting out you're not in terrible shape. Talk to some of the pilots out there who got their start driving B1900s for $17k the first year!