43 Series · SOC 43-2021

Telephone Operators Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$41,740
Median / year
$62,950
Top 10% earn
-27.5%
Growth '23–'33
3,430
US workers

Telephone Operators earn a median of $41,740 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $41,740, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $31,510 (10th percentile) to $62,950 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 3,430 US workers. California pays the most ($57,170), since pay varies by state and metro area.

43 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Telephone Operators earn a median of $41,740, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 14% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Office and Administrative Support, it ranks #45 of 54 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 27.5% by 2033.

$41,740
Median annual wage
Top 86%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#45 of 54
in Office and Administrative Support
2.0×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: California at $57,170. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Telephone Operators (SOC 43-2021) pays a national median of $41,740 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $31,510 at the 10th percentile to $62,950 at the 90th, with a mean of $44,970 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 3,430 Americans work in this occupation across 16 reporting states and 14 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -27.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 300 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. California pays the highest state median at $57,170, which is +37% above the national figure. The top metro is Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA at $58,900 - 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.

BLS OEWS May 2025 3,430 jobs Median $41,740/yr

Median Salary

$41,740

per year

Median Hourly

$20.07/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$44,970

average

Employment

3,430

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Telephone Operators pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$41,740 Bottom 14% higher than 14% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

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 Telephone Operators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 43-series occupations with growth data, Telephone Operators sits on the slower-growing side at -27.5% growth and $41,740 median pay.

Among 24 43-series occupations with growth data, Telephone Operators sits on the slower-growing side at -27.5% growth and $41,740 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -30%-20%-10%0%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 24 43-series occupations with growth data, Telephone Operators sits on the slower-growing side at -27.5% growth and $41,740 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-27.5%

Declining

Annual Openings

300

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 →
A

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 Telephone Operators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Active Listening 4.0
Speaking 4.0
Service Orientation 3.5
Social Perceptiveness 3.1
Reading Comprehension 3.0
Critical Thinking 3.0
Monitoring 2.8
Complex Problem Solving 2.6
Coordination 2.5
Time Management 2.5

Knowledge Areas

Customer and Personal Service 4.2
Telecommunications 3.8
Administrative 3.6
English Language 3.2
Computers and Electronics 3.1
Administration and Management 2.6
Public Safety and Security 2.4
Education and Training 2.3
Personnel and Human Resources 2.2
Communications and Media 2.1

Key Tasks

  • ▸ Observe signal lights on switchboards, and dial or press buttons to make connections.
  • ▸ Operate paging systems or other systems of bells or buzzers to notify recipients of incoming calls.
  • ▸ Operate telephone switchboards and systems to advance and complete connections, including those for local, long distance, pay telephone, mobile, person-to-person, and emergency calls.
  • ▸ Listen to customer requests, referring to alphabetical or geographical directories to answer questions and provide telephone information.
  • ▸ Monitor automated systems for placing collect calls and intervene for a callers needing assistance.
  • ▸ Update directory information.
  • ▸ Suggest and check alternate spellings, locations, or listing formats to customers lacking details or complete information.
  • ▸ Perform clerical duties such as typing, proofreading, and sorting mail.
  • ▸ Offer special assistance to persons such as those who are unable to dial or who are in emergency situations.
  • ▸ Interrupt busy lines if an emergency warrants.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$31,510$36,920$41,740$51,510$62,950
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$15.15$17.75$20.07$24.76$30.27
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$31,510

25th Percentile

$36,920

Median

$41,740

75th Percentile

$51,510

90th Percentile

$62,950

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. California $57,170 2. New York $50,220 3. District of Columbia $49,330 4. Massachusetts $47,940 5. Wisconsin $46,590

Lowest Paying States

12. Louisiana $31,400 13. Georgia $36,920 14. Ohio $36,970 15. Florida $37,180 16. Oklahoma $37,320
View all 16 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 California $57,170 +37% above national
2 New York $50,220 +20% above national
3 District of Columbia $49,330 +18% above national
4 Massachusetts $47,940 +15% above national
5 Wisconsin $46,590 +12% above national
6 Maryland $42,460 +2% above national
7 Virginia $42,350 +1% above national
8 New Jersey $41,960 +1% above national
9 Texas $41,250 1% below national
10 North Carolina $40,360 3% below national
11 Michigan $37,550 10% below national
12 Oklahoma $37,320 11% below national
13 Florida $37,180 11% below national
14 Ohio $36,970 11% below national
15 Georgia $36,920 12% below national
16 Louisiana $31,400 25% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $58,900 2. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $51,410 3. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $47,940 4. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $47,410 5. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $45,000

Lowest Paying Metros

10. Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $37,150 11. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $37,550 12. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $37,600 13. Columbus, OH $37,890 14. Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $38,620
View all 14 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $58,900 +41% above national
2 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $51,410 +23% above national
3 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $47,940 +15% above national
4 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $47,410 +14% above national
5 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $45,000 +8% above national
6 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $44,980 +8% above national
7 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $42,460 +2% above national
8 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $40,400 3% below national
9 Cleveland, OH $39,570 5% below national
10 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $38,620 7% below national
11 Columbus, OH $37,890 9% below national
12 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $37,600 10% below national
13 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $37,550 10% below national
14 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $37,150 11% 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.

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
Compare Telephone Operators side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Telephone Operators make? ▼
The median annual salary for Telephone Operators is $41,740 ($20.07/hour). The salary range spans from $31,510 at the 10th percentile to $62,950 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Telephone Operators the most? ▼
California pays the highest median salary for Telephone Operators at $57,170/year, which is +37% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Telephone Operators? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Telephone Operators is High school diploma or equivalent. On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Telephone Operators? ▼
Telephone Operators has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.5 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 1 per 100 workers.
Is Telephone Operators a good career? ▼
Employment for Telephone Operators is projected to decline 27.5% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 300 openings are projected each year.
How does Telephone Operators pay vary by state? ▼
Telephone Operators salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is California at $57,170/year, while Oklahoma pays the least at $37,320/year. BLS data covers 16 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Telephone Operators? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Telephone Operators is Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA at $58,900/year. BLS reports wage data for 14 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Telephone Operators pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $51,510/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: California leads at $57,170/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.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

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.