43 Series · SOC 43-2011
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $38,630
- Median / year
- $59,470
- Top 10% earn
- -26.3%
- Growth '23–'33
- 34,280
- US workers
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service earn a median of $38,630 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $38,630, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $29,990 (10th percentile) to $59,470 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 34,280 US workers. Hawaii pays the most ($59,860), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service earn a median of $38,630, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 10% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Office and Administrative Support, it ranks #50 of 54 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 26.3% by 2033.
- $38,630
- Median annual wage
- Top 90%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #50 of 54
- in Office and Administrative Support
- 2.0×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Hawaii at $59,860. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service (SOC 43-2011) pays a national median of $38,630 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $29,990 at the 10th percentile to $59,470 at the 90th, with a mean of $42,300 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 34,280 Americans work in this occupation across 47 reporting states and 179 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -26.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 2,800 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 1 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Hawaii pays the highest state median at $59,860, which is +55% above the national figure. The top metro is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $79,260 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$38,630
per year
Median Hourly
$18.57/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$42,300
average
Employment
34,280
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$38,630 Bottom 10% higher than 10% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 43-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 43-series occupations with growth data, Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service sits on the slower-growing side at -26.3% growth and $38,630 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-26.3%
Declining
Annual Openings
2,800
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.5/100K
Injury Rate
1/100
Danger Index
4.3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Operate communication systems, such as telephone, switchboard, intercom, two-way radio, or public address.
- ▸ Answer incoming calls, greeting callers, providing information, transferring calls or taking messages as necessary.
- ▸ Greet visitors, log them in and out of the facility, assign them security badges, and contact employee escorts.
- ▸ Monitor alarm systems to ensure that secure conditions are maintained.
- ▸ Contact security staff members when necessary, using radio-telephones.
- ▸ Monitor emergency and code alarms, make emergency announcements, or route emergency calls to the appropriate location.
- ▸ Record messages, suggesting rewording for clarity or conciseness.
- ▸ Page individuals to inform them of telephone calls, using paging or interoffice communication equipment.
- ▸ Complete forms for sales orders.
- ▸ Relay or route written or verbal messages.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$29,990
25th Percentile
$34,820
Median
$38,630
75th Percentile
$46,530
90th Percentile
$59,470
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 47 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $59,860 | +55% above national |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $54,700 | +42% above national |
| 3 | California | $48,840 | +26% above national |
| 4 | Washington | $47,800 | +24% above national |
| 5 | Minnesota | $47,430 | +23% above national |
| 6 | New York | $45,330 | +17% above national |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $44,210 | +14% above national |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $43,790 | +13% above national |
| 9 | Colorado | $43,720 | +13% above national |
| 10 | Maine | $43,350 | +12% above national |
| 11 | Illinois | $42,660 | +10% above national |
| 12 | Vermont | $42,630 | +10% above national |
| 13 | New Jersey | $40,430 | +5% above national |
| 14 | Arizona | $40,380 | +5% above national |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $40,030 | +4% above national |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $39,850 | +3% above national |
| 17 | Georgia | $39,490 | +2% above national |
| 18 | Kansas | $38,760 | same as national |
| 19 | North Carolina | $38,520 | same as national |
| 20 | Iowa | $38,400 | 1% below national |
| 21 | Connecticut | $38,380 | 1% below national |
| 22 | Nevada | $38,070 | 1% below national |
| 23 | Idaho | $38,000 | 2% below national |
| 24 | New Mexico | $37,710 | 2% below national |
| 25 | Alaska | $37,690 | 2% below national |
| 26 | Kentucky | $37,590 | 3% below national |
| 27 | Nebraska | $37,570 | 3% below national |
| 28 | West Virginia | $37,430 | 3% below national |
| 29 | Michigan | $37,390 | 3% below national |
| 30 | Missouri | $37,130 | 4% below national |
| 31 | Maryland | $37,080 | 4% below national |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $36,890 | 5% below national |
| 33 | Indiana | $36,860 | 5% below national |
| 34 | Virginia | $36,730 | 5% below national |
| 35 | Ohio | $36,350 | 6% below national |
| 36 | Montana | $36,270 | 6% below national |
| 37 | Delaware | $35,980 | 7% below national |
| 38 | Louisiana | $35,890 | 7% below national |
| 39 | Tennessee | $35,550 | 8% below national |
| 40 | Florida | $35,410 | 8% below national |
| 41 | Arkansas | $35,290 | 9% below national |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $35,280 | 9% below national |
| 43 | South Carolina | $34,010 | 12% below national |
| 44 | Texas | $33,620 | 13% below national |
| 45 | Alabama | $32,210 | 17% below national |
| 46 | Mississippi | $30,520 | 21% below national |
| 47 | Puerto Rico | $24,960 | 35% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 179 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $79,260 | +105% above national |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $63,190 | +64% above national |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $61,780 | +60% above national |
| 4 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $60,420 | +56% above national |
| 5 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $59,360 | +54% above national |
| 6 | Barnstable Town, MA | $57,030 | +48% above national |
| 7 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $52,010 | +35% above national |
| 8 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $51,950 | +34% above national |
| 9 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $50,470 | +31% above national |
| 10 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $49,840 | +29% above national |
| 11 | Napa, CA | $49,460 | +28% above national |
| 12 | Bend, OR | $48,880 | +27% above national |
| 13 | Salinas, CA | $48,840 | +26% above national |
| 14 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $47,380 | +23% above national |
| 15 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $47,350 | +23% above national |
| 16 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $46,330 | +20% above national |
| 17 | Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $46,320 | +20% above national |
| 18 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $46,160 | +19% above national |
| 19 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $46,080 | +19% above national |
| 20 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $45,870 | +19% above national |
| 21 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $45,760 | +18% above national |
| 22 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $45,750 | +18% above national |
| 23 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $44,980 | +16% above national |
| 24 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $44,680 | +16% above national |
| 25 | Fresno, CA | $44,590 | +15% above national |
| 26 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $44,550 | +15% above national |
| 27 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $44,540 | +15% above national |
| 28 | Syracuse, NY | $44,510 | +15% above national |
| 29 | Visalia, CA | $44,330 | +15% above national |
| 30 | Modesto, CA | $44,320 | +15% above national |
| 31 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $44,210 | +14% above national |
| 32 | Merced, CA | $44,190 | +14% above national |
| 33 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $44,130 | +14% above national |
| 34 | Worcester, MA | $44,050 | +14% above national |
| 35 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $43,500 | +13% above national |
| 36 | Reading, PA | $42,900 | +11% above national |
| 37 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $42,780 | +11% above national |
| 38 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $42,710 | +11% above national |
| 39 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $42,340 | +10% above national |
| 40 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $42,320 | +10% above national |
| 41 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $42,190 | +9% above national |
| 42 | Dover, DE | $41,900 | +8% above national |
| 43 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $41,470 | +7% above national |
| 44 | Binghamton, NY | $41,420 | +7% above national |
| 45 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $41,360 | +7% above national |
| 46 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $41,330 | +7% above national |
| 47 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $41,130 | +6% above national |
| 48 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $41,100 | +6% above national |
| 49 | Madison, WI | $40,630 | +5% above national |
| 50 | Asheville, NC | $40,590 | +5% above national |
| 51 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $40,540 | +5% above national |
| 52 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $39,930 | +3% above national |
| 53 | Pittsburgh, PA | $39,910 | +3% above national |
| 54 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $39,870 | +3% above national |
| 55 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $39,750 | +3% above national |
| 56 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $39,730 | +3% above national |
| 57 | Rockford, IL | $39,660 | +3% above national |
| 58 | Colorado Springs, CO | $39,650 | +3% above national |
| 59 | Albuquerque, NM | $39,640 | +3% above national |
| 60 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $39,630 | +3% above national |
| 61 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $39,540 | +2% above national |
| 62 | Winston-Salem, NC | $39,490 | +2% above national |
| 63 | Springfield, IL | $39,450 | +2% above national |
| 64 | Lancaster, PA | $39,290 | +2% above national |
| 65 | Wichita, KS | $39,200 | +1% above national |
| 66 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $39,020 | +1% above national |
| 67 | Medford, OR | $38,750 | same as national |
| 68 | Baton Rouge, LA | $38,540 | same as national |
| 69 | North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $38,530 | same as national |
| 70 | East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $38,490 | same as national |
| 71 | Bloomington, IL | $38,480 | same as national |
| 72 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $38,410 | 1% below national |
| 73 | Peoria, IL | $38,380 | 1% below national |
| 74 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $38,370 | 1% below national |
| 75 | Omaha, NE-IA | $38,300 | 1% below national |
| 76 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $38,190 | 1% below national |
| 77 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $38,150 | 1% below national |
| 78 | Green Bay, WI | $38,110 | 1% below national |
| 79 | Springfield, MA | $38,080 | 1% below national |
| 80 | Alexandria, LA | $37,990 | 2% below national |
| 81 | Greenville, NC | $37,990 | 2% below national |
| 82 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $37,980 | 2% below national |
| 83 | Tucson, AZ | $37,970 | 2% below national |
| 84 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $37,870 | 2% below national |
| 85 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $37,840 | 2% below national |
| 86 | Rochester, NY | $37,720 | 2% below national |
| 87 | Anchorage, AK | $37,690 | 2% below national |
| 88 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $37,690 | 2% below national |
| 89 | New Haven, CT | $37,650 | 3% below national |
| 90 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $37,630 | 3% below national |
| 91 | Hammond, LA | $37,480 | 3% below national |
| 92 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $37,470 | 3% below national |
| 93 | Cleveland, OH | $37,460 | 3% below national |
| 94 | Reno, NV | $37,380 | 3% below national |
| 95 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $37,120 | 4% below national |
| 96 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $37,110 | 4% below national |
| 97 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $37,110 | 4% below national |
| 98 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $37,050 | 4% below national |
| 99 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $37,040 | 4% below national |
| 100 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $37,020 | 4% below national |
| 101 | Springfield, MO | $37,020 | 4% below national |
| 102 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $36,890 | 5% below national |
| 103 | Lincoln, NE | $36,830 | 5% below national |
| 104 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $36,830 | 5% below national |
| 105 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $36,770 | 5% below national |
| 106 | Richmond, VA | $36,740 | 5% below national |
| 107 | Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $36,640 | 5% below national |
| 108 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $36,600 | 5% below national |
| 109 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $36,570 | 5% below national |
| 110 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $36,550 | 5% below national |
| 111 | Jacksonville, FL | $36,490 | 6% below national |
| 112 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $36,430 | 6% below national |
| 113 | Akron, OH | $36,350 | 6% below national |
| 114 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $36,270 | 6% below national |
| 115 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $36,260 | 6% below national |
| 116 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $36,180 | 6% below national |
| 117 | South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $36,120 | 6% below national |
| 118 | Tulsa, OK | $36,050 | 7% below national |
| 119 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $36,040 | 7% below national |
| 120 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $35,950 | 7% below national |
| 121 | Lafayette, LA | $35,890 | 7% below national |
| 122 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $35,870 | 7% below national |
| 123 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $35,830 | 7% below national |
| 124 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $35,830 | 7% below national |
| 125 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $35,820 | 7% below national |
| 126 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $35,780 | 7% below national |
| 127 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $35,770 | 7% below national |
| 128 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $35,760 | 7% below national |
| 129 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $35,650 | 8% below national |
| 130 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $35,510 | 8% below national |
| 131 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $35,390 | 8% below national |
| 132 | Knoxville, TN | $35,360 | 8% below national |
| 133 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $35,290 | 9% below national |
| 134 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $35,270 | 9% below national |
| 135 | Columbus, OH | $35,170 | 9% below national |
| 136 | Ocala, FL | $35,100 | 9% below national |
| 137 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $35,090 | 9% below national |
| 138 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $35,080 | 9% below national |
| 139 | Monroe, LA | $35,070 | 9% below national |
| 140 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $34,960 | 10% below national |
| 141 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $34,940 | 10% below national |
| 142 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $34,920 | 10% below national |
| 143 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $34,910 | 10% below national |
| 144 | Oklahoma City, OK | $34,860 | 10% below national |
| 145 | Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $34,650 | 10% below national |
| 146 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $34,560 | 11% below national |
| 147 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $34,330 | 11% below national |
| 148 | Huntsville, AL | $34,300 | 11% below national |
| 149 | Columbia, MO | $34,060 | 12% below national |
| 150 | Birmingham, AL | $33,690 | 13% below national |
| 151 | Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $33,640 | 13% below national |
| 152 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $33,620 | 13% below national |
| 153 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $33,320 | 14% below national |
| 154 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $33,310 | 14% below national |
| 155 | Columbia, SC | $32,890 | 15% below national |
| 156 | Jackson, MS | $32,320 | 16% below national |
| 157 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $32,210 | 17% below national |
| 158 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $32,170 | 17% below national |
| 159 | Montgomery, AL | $32,130 | 17% below national |
| 160 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $31,900 | 17% below national |
| 161 | Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $31,750 | 18% below national |
| 162 | Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area | $31,200 | 19% below national |
| 163 | Mobile, AL | $30,970 | 20% below national |
| 164 | Columbus, GA-AL | $30,880 | 20% below national |
| 165 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $30,550 | 21% below national |
| 166 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $30,360 | 21% below national |
| 167 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $30,160 | 22% below national |
| 168 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $29,570 | 23% below national |
| 169 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $29,420 | 24% below national |
| 170 | Corpus Christi, TX | $29,380 | 24% below national |
| 171 | Lubbock, TX | $29,180 | 24% below national |
| 172 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $28,850 | 25% below national |
| 173 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $28,760 | 26% below national |
| 174 | Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $28,670 | 26% below national |
| 175 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $28,430 | 26% below national |
| 176 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $27,820 | 28% below national |
| 177 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $27,540 | 29% below national |
| 178 | El Paso, TX | $27,510 | 29% below national |
| 179 | Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $21,240 | 45% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 43 (office and administrative support) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $46,530/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Hawaii leads at $59,860/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.