SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Operate telephone business systems equipment or switchboards to relay incoming, outgoing, and interoffice calls. May supply information to callers and record messages.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 43-2011.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $29,990 | $2,499 | $577 | $14.42 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $34,820 | $2,902 | $670 | $16.74 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $38,630 | $3,219 | $743 | $18.57 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $46,530 | $3,878 | $895 | $22.37 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $59,470 | $4,956 | $1,144 | $28.59 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service is $38,630, which is 24% lower. Among the 54 occupations of the field Office and Administrative Support, it ranks number 50 by median pay. With 34,280 jobs, it makes up about 2.2 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service pay by state
The highest median pay was in Hawaii ($59,860), District of Columbia ($54,700) and California ($48,840). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($24,960), Mississippi ($30,520) and Alabama ($32,210). The most jobs were in California (6,680), Texas (3,640) and Florida (3,090). The occupation is most concentrated in Hawaii, where its share of all jobs is 3.0 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 410 | $59,860 | $57,030 | $28.78 |
| District of Columbia | 230 | $54,700 | $56,040 | $26.30 |
| California | 6,680 | $48,840 | $54,360 | $23.48 |
| Washington | 430 | $47,800 | $48,140 | $22.98 |
| Minnesota | 200 | $47,430 | $48,220 | $22.80 |
| New York | 1,760 | $45,330 | $49,950 | $21.79 |
| New Hampshire | 100 | $44,210 | $43,860 | $21.26 |
| Massachusetts | 830 | $43,790 | $45,190 | $21.05 |
| Colorado | 320 | $43,720 | $42,720 | $21.02 |
| Maine | 100 | $43,350 | $43,750 | $20.84 |
| Illinois | 1,240 | $42,660 | $43,410 | $20.51 |
| Vermont | 70 | $42,630 | $42,940 | $20.50 |
| New Jersey | 660 | $40,430 | $43,320 | $19.44 |
| Arizona | 380 | $40,380 | $41,380 | $19.42 |
| Wisconsin | 550 | $40,030 | $43,200 | $19.24 |
| Rhode Island | 130 | $39,850 | $42,330 | $19.16 |
| Georgia | 780 | $39,490 | $40,040 | $18.99 |
| Kansas | 180 | $38,760 | $38,970 | $18.64 |
| North Carolina | 690 | $38,520 | $38,580 | $18.52 |
| Iowa | 210 | $38,400 | $40,010 | $18.46 |
| Connecticut | 180 | $38,380 | $42,960 | $18.45 |
| Nevada | 650 | $38,070 | $38,870 | $18.30 |
| Idaho | 70 | $38,000 | $36,690 | $18.27 |
| New Mexico | 220 | $37,710 | $39,790 | $18.13 |
| Alaska | not published | $37,690 | $39,850 | $18.12 |
| Kentucky | 370 | $37,590 | $38,010 | $18.07 |
| Nebraska | 180 | $37,570 | $38,620 | $18.06 |
| West Virginia | 110 | $37,430 | $36,810 | $18.00 |
| Michigan | 370 | $37,390 | $39,320 | $17.98 |
| Missouri | 640 | $37,130 | $37,980 | $17.85 |
| Maryland | 650 | $37,080 | $39,300 | $17.83 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,350 | $36,890 | $35,820 | $17.74 |
| Indiana | 380 | $36,860 | $39,300 | $17.72 |
| Virginia | 610 | $36,730 | $37,470 | $17.66 |
| Ohio | 990 | $36,350 | $36,620 | $17.48 |
| Montana | 110 | $36,270 | $37,950 | $17.44 |
| Delaware | 180 | $35,980 | $37,610 | $17.30 |
| Louisiana | not published | $35,890 | $35,390 | $17.26 |
| Tennessee | 680 | $35,550 | $35,310 | $17.09 |
| Florida | 3,090 | $35,410 | $37,210 | $17.03 |
| Arkansas | 260 | $35,290 | $35,360 | $16.96 |
| Oklahoma | 480 | $35,280 | $35,660 | $16.96 |
| South Carolina | 480 | $34,010 | $35,310 | $16.35 |
| Texas | 3,640 | $33,620 | $33,810 | $16.16 |
| Alabama | 680 | $32,210 | $32,860 | $15.48 |
| Mississippi | 200 | $30,520 | $31,080 | $14.68 |
| Puerto Rico | 560 | $24,960 | $28,220 | $12.00 |
| Utah | 50 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Office Machine Operators, Except Computer$40,960 a year
- Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service$39,280 a year
- Couriers and Messengers$39,200 a year
- Receptionists and Information Clerks$38,010 a year
- Gambling Cage Workers$37,580 a year
- Library Assistants, Clerical$36,910 a year
Common questions
How much do Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service earn in the United States?
The median pay was $38,630 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $29,990 and the highest-paid 10% more than $59,470.
How many people work as Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service?
About 34,280 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.