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
- +0.7%
- 2024→2025
- $59,470
- Top 10% earn
- -26.3%
- Growth '24–'34
- 34,280
- Estimated US jobs
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 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Hawaii ($59,860).
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 2034.
- $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.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service moved from $30,610 in May 2019 to $38,630 in May 2025 (+26.2%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service sits +1.8 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service (SOC 43-2011) has a national median of $38,630 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $29,990 to $59,470, and the published mean is $42,300. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 34,280 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 47 state or territory areas and 179 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $38,370 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $38,630 in May 2025, a rise of $260 (+0.7%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -26.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 2,800 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as short-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Office and Administrative Support Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
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 highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $79,260. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
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.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 (this entry) | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$38,630 · 10th percentile of 825 US occupations
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).
Read the chart as text
- Customer Service Rep…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.5%, Median annual wage $44770
- Office Clerks, General: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.7%, Median annual wage $45010
- Secretaries and Admi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $47540
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.3%, Median annual wage $69500
- Bookkeeping, Account…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.8%, Median annual wage $50670
- Medical Secretaries …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.2%, Median annual wage $45930
- Shipping, Receiving,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -7.7%, Median annual wage $45260
- Executive Secretarie…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $76590
- Billing and Posting …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.4%, Median annual wage $48500
- Production, Planning…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.8%, Median annual wage $59650
- Tellers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -12.9%, Median annual wage $43030
- Postal Service Mail …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.5%, Median annual wage $60550
- Hotel, Motel, and Re…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $35070
- Insurance Claims and…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.7%, Median annual wage $49230
- Dispatchers, Except …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.9%, Median annual wage $50340
- Office and Administr…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -7.8%, Median annual wage $45670
- Court, Municipal, an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $48700
- Loan Interviewers an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.3%, Median annual wage $50020
- Bill and Account Col…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.5%, Median annual wage $47030
- Legal Secretaries an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.8%, Median annual wage $55570
- Eligibility Intervie…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $54210
- Payroll and Timekeep…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -16.7%, Median annual wage $58260
- Interviewers, Except…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -11.6%, Median annual wage $45920
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -26.3%, Median annual wage $38630
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)
Employment Change
-9,600
36,600 (2024) → 27,000 (2034)
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 →Office and Administrative Support Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
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
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $27,440 |
| 2016 | $28,030 |
| 2017 | $28,700 |
| 2018 | $29,420 |
| 2019 | $30,610 |
| 2020 | $31,430 |
| 2021 | $30,150 |
| 2022 | $34,670 |
| 2023 | $36,750 |
| 2024 | $38,370 |
| 2025 | $38,630 |
2015 median
$27,440
2025 median
$38,630
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$8,020 (+26.2%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+4%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $27,440 | First banked release | 100,500 |
| May 2016 | $28,030 | +2.2% | 90,910 |
| May 2017 | $28,700 | +2.4% | 80,380 |
| May 2018 | $29,420 | +2.5% | 71,600 |
| May 2019 | $30,610 | Classification break | 68,050 |
| May 2020 | $31,430 | +2.7% | 59,270 |
| May 2021 | $30,150 | -4.1% | 48,190 |
| May 2022 | $34,670 | +15.0% | 47,430 |
| May 2023 | $36,750 | +6.0% | 43,830 |
| May 2024 | $38,370 | +4.4% | 35,730 |
| May 2025 | $38,630 | +0.7% | 34,280 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $27,440 in May 2015 to $38,630 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 68,050 in May 2019 to 34,280 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
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 142 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 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $51,950 | +34% above national |
| 8 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $50,470 | +31% above national |
| 9 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $49,840 | +29% above national |
| 10 | Napa, CA | $49,460 | +28% above national |
| 11 | Bend, OR | $48,880 | +27% above national |
| 12 | Salinas, CA | $48,840 | +26% above national |
| 13 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $47,380 | +23% above national |
| 14 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $47,350 | +23% above national |
| 15 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $46,330 | +20% above national |
| 16 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $46,160 | +19% above national |
| 17 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $46,080 | +19% above national |
| 18 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $45,870 | +19% above national |
| 19 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $45,760 | +18% above national |
| 20 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $45,750 | +18% above national |
| 21 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $44,980 | +16% above national |
| 22 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $44,680 | +16% above national |
| 23 | Fresno, CA | $44,590 | +15% above national |
| 24 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $44,550 | +15% above national |
| 25 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $44,540 | +15% above national |
| 26 | Syracuse, NY | $44,510 | +15% above national |
| 27 | Visalia, CA | $44,330 | +15% above national |
| 28 | Modesto, CA | $44,320 | +15% above national |
| 29 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $44,210 | +14% above national |
| 30 | Merced, CA | $44,190 | +14% above national |
| 31 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $44,130 | +14% above national |
| 32 | Worcester, MA | $44,050 | +14% above national |
| 33 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $43,500 | +13% above national |
| 34 | Reading, PA | $42,900 | +11% above national |
| 35 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $42,710 | +11% above national |
| 36 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $42,320 | +10% above national |
| 37 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $42,190 | +9% above national |
| 38 | Dover, DE | $41,900 | +8% above national |
| 39 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $41,470 | +7% above national |
| 40 | Binghamton, NY | $41,420 | +7% above national |
| 41 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $41,360 | +7% above national |
| 42 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $41,330 | +7% above national |
| 43 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $41,130 | +6% above national |
| 44 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $41,100 | +6% above national |
| 45 | Madison, WI | $40,630 | +5% above national |
| 46 | Asheville, NC | $40,590 | +5% above national |
| 47 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $40,540 | +5% above national |
| 48 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $39,930 | +3% above national |
| 49 | Pittsburgh, PA | $39,910 | +3% above national |
| 50 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $39,870 | +3% above national |
| 51 | Rockford, IL | $39,660 | +3% above national |
| 52 | Colorado Springs, CO | $39,650 | +3% above national |
| 53 | Albuquerque, NM | $39,640 | +3% above national |
| 54 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $39,630 | +3% above national |
| 55 | Winston-Salem, NC | $39,490 | +2% above national |
| 56 | Springfield, IL | $39,450 | +2% above national |
| 57 | Lancaster, PA | $39,290 | +2% above national |
| 58 | Wichita, KS | $39,200 | +1% above national |
| 59 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $39,020 | +1% above national |
| 60 | Medford, OR | $38,750 | same as national |
| 61 | Baton Rouge, LA | $38,540 | same as national |
| 62 | Bloomington, IL | $38,480 | same as national |
| 63 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $38,410 | 1% below national |
| 64 | Peoria, IL | $38,380 | 1% below national |
| 65 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $38,370 | 1% below national |
| 66 | Omaha, NE-IA | $38,300 | 1% below national |
| 67 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $38,190 | 1% below national |
| 68 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $38,150 | 1% below national |
| 69 | Green Bay, WI | $38,110 | 1% below national |
| 70 | Springfield, MA | $38,080 | 1% below national |
| 71 | Alexandria, LA | $37,990 | 2% below national |
| 72 | Greenville, NC | $37,990 | 2% below national |
| 73 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $37,980 | 2% below national |
| 74 | Tucson, AZ | $37,970 | 2% below national |
| 75 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $37,870 | 2% below national |
| 76 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $37,840 | 2% below national |
| 77 | Rochester, NY | $37,720 | 2% below national |
| 78 | Anchorage, AK | $37,690 | 2% below national |
| 79 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $37,690 | 2% below national |
| 80 | New Haven, CT | $37,650 | 3% below national |
| 81 | Hammond, LA | $37,480 | 3% below national |
| 82 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $37,470 | 3% below national |
| 83 | Cleveland, OH | $37,460 | 3% below national |
| 84 | Reno, NV | $37,380 | 3% below national |
| 85 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $37,120 | 4% below national |
| 86 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $37,110 | 4% below national |
| 87 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $37,050 | 4% below national |
| 88 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $37,040 | 4% below national |
| 89 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $37,020 | 4% below national |
| 90 | Springfield, MO | $37,020 | 4% below national |
| 91 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $36,890 | 5% below national |
| 92 | Lincoln, NE | $36,830 | 5% below national |
| 93 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $36,830 | 5% below national |
| 94 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $36,770 | 5% below national |
| 95 | Richmond, VA | $36,740 | 5% below national |
| 96 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $36,570 | 5% below national |
| 97 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $36,550 | 5% below national |
| 98 | Jacksonville, FL | $36,490 | 6% below national |
| 99 | Akron, OH | $36,350 | 6% below national |
| 100 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $36,260 | 6% below national |
| 101 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $36,180 | 6% below national |
| 102 | Tulsa, OK | $36,050 | 7% below national |
| 103 | Lafayette, LA | $35,890 | 7% below national |
| 104 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $35,830 | 7% below national |
| 105 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $35,830 | 7% below national |
| 106 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $35,820 | 7% below national |
| 107 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $35,770 | 7% below national |
| 108 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $35,760 | 7% below national |
| 109 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $35,650 | 8% below national |
| 110 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $35,390 | 8% below national |
| 111 | Knoxville, TN | $35,360 | 8% below national |
| 112 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $35,290 | 9% below national |
| 113 | Columbus, OH | $35,170 | 9% below national |
| 114 | Ocala, FL | $35,100 | 9% below national |
| 115 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $35,080 | 9% below national |
| 116 | Monroe, LA | $35,070 | 9% below national |
| 117 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $34,940 | 10% below national |
| 118 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $34,920 | 10% below national |
| 119 | Oklahoma City, OK | $34,860 | 10% below national |
| 120 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $34,560 | 11% below national |
| 121 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $34,330 | 11% below national |
| 122 | Huntsville, AL | $34,300 | 11% below national |
| 123 | Columbia, MO | $34,060 | 12% below national |
| 124 | Birmingham, AL | $33,690 | 13% below national |
| 125 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $33,320 | 14% below national |
| 126 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $33,310 | 14% below national |
| 127 | Columbia, SC | $32,890 | 15% below national |
| 128 | Jackson, MS | $32,320 | 16% below national |
| 129 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $32,210 | 17% below national |
| 130 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $32,170 | 17% below national |
| 131 | Montgomery, AL | $32,130 | 17% below national |
| 132 | Mobile, AL | $30,970 | 20% below national |
| 133 | Columbus, GA-AL | $30,880 | 20% below national |
| 134 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $30,160 | 22% below national |
| 135 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $29,570 | 23% below national |
| 136 | Corpus Christi, TX | $29,380 | 24% below national |
| 137 | Lubbock, TX | $29,180 | 24% below national |
| 138 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $28,850 | 25% below national |
| 139 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $28,760 | 26% below national |
| 140 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $28,430 | 26% below national |
| 141 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $27,540 | 29% below national |
| 142 | El Paso, TX | $27,510 | 29% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 43 (Office and Administrative Support Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Bill and Account Collectors
SOC 43-3011
Billing and Posting Clerks
SOC 43-3021
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
SOC 43-3031
Brokerage Clerks
SOC 43-4011
Cargo and Freight Agents
SOC 43-5011
Showing 5 of 53 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Office and Administrative Support Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($38,630 here) and reported employment (34,280 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service make? ▼
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What state pays Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service the most? ▼
What education do Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service need? ▼
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service? ▼
Is Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service a good career? ▼
How does Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $46,530/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. 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.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
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.