Switchboard operators, including answering service salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $29,990 | $14.42 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $38,630 | $18.57 |
| Mean (average) | $42,300 | $20.34 |
| 90th percentile | $59,470 | $28.59 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Switchboard operators, including answering service pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 48 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $32,210 | $27,640 | $38,260 | 680 | 1.46 |
| Alaska | $37,690 | $33,860 | $51,630 | ||
| Arizona | $40,380 | $35,060 | $50,200 | 380 | 0.54 |
| Arkansas | $35,290 | $29,360 | $42,870 | 260 | 0.92 |
| California | $48,840 | $37,380 | $79,260 | 6,680 | 1.66 |
| Colorado | $43,720 | $35,490 | $46,920 | 320 | 0.5 |
| Connecticut | $38,380 | $34,370 | $55,170 | 180 | 0.49 |
| Delaware | $35,980 | $31,200 | $46,720 | 180 | 1.65 |
| District of Columbia | $54,700 | $47,140 | $63,420 | 230 | 1.47 |
| Florida | $35,410 | $29,410 | $43,360 | 3,090 | 1.41 |
| Georgia | $39,490 | $30,880 | $46,390 | 780 | 0.72 |
| Hawaii | $59,860 | $42,720 | $67,270 | 410 | 2.95 |
| Idaho | $38,000 | $23,000 | $47,380 | 70 | 0.35 |
| Illinois | $42,660 | $34,450 | $55,180 | 1,240 | 0.92 |
| Indiana | $36,860 | $28,220 | $56,540 | 380 | 0.53 |
| Iowa | $38,400 | $30,060 | $45,570 | 210 | 0.62 |
| Kansas | $38,760 | $30,940 | $46,130 | 180 | 0.56 |
| Kentucky | $37,590 | $30,550 | $44,390 | 370 | 0.83 |
| Louisiana | $35,890 | $21,240 | $50,060 | ||
| Maine | $43,350 | $38,190 | $48,100 | 100 | 0.72 |
| Maryland | $37,080 | $31,990 | $47,790 | 650 | 1.06 |
| Massachusetts | $43,790 | $36,680 | $57,980 | 830 | 1.03 |
| Michigan | $37,390 | $31,220 | $47,200 | 370 | 0.38 |
| Minnesota | $47,430 | $39,890 | $57,840 | 200 | 0.31 |
| Mississippi | $30,520 | $23,170 | $39,360 | 200 | 0.8 |
| Missouri | $37,130 | $32,380 | $45,570 | 640 | 0.98 |
| Montana | $36,270 | $30,960 | $47,150 | 110 | 0.96 |
| Nebraska | $37,570 | $32,370 | $46,560 | 180 | 0.78 |
| Nevada | $38,070 | $31,600 | $48,400 | 650 | 1.91 |
| New Hampshire | $44,210 | $37,850 | $49,660 | 100 | 0.68 |
| New Jersey | $40,430 | $35,780 | $51,890 | 660 | 0.7 |
| New Mexico | $37,710 | $31,270 | $50,590 | 220 | 1.17 |
| New York | $45,330 | $36,970 | $72,500 | 1,760 | 0.82 |
| North Carolina | $38,520 | $30,510 | $46,340 | 690 | 0.63 |
| Ohio | $36,350 | $29,800 | $44,100 | 990 | 0.81 |
| Oklahoma | $35,280 | $29,100 | $42,470 | 480 | 1.27 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,890 | $22,270 | $46,590 | 1,350 | 1.01 |
| Puerto Rico | $24,960 | $21,840 | $37,000 | 560 | 2.71 |
| Rhode Island | $39,850 | $33,860 | $55,440 | 130 | 1.21 |
| South Carolina | $34,010 | $29,940 | $43,730 | 480 | 0.94 |
| Tennessee | $35,550 | $27,020 | $46,700 | 680 | 0.95 |
| Texas | $33,620 | $24,140 | $44,100 | 3,640 | 1.17 |
| Utah | Data unavailable | 50 | 0.14 | ||
| Vermont | $42,630 | $37,700 | $47,360 | 70 | 0.99 |
| Virginia | $36,730 | $31,200 | $45,320 | 610 | 0.67 |
| Washington | $47,800 | $36,850 | $60,590 | 430 | 0.55 |
| West Virginia | $37,430 | $26,630 | $46,080 | 110 | 0.73 |
| Wisconsin | $40,030 | $36,040 | $57,420 | 550 | 0.85 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for switchboard operators, including answering service
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 3,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1.6%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for switchboard operators, including answering service
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical 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 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.
- Relay or route written or verbal messages.
- Perform various cash handling tasks, such as collecting payments, making bank deposits, or managing petty cash.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- IBM Notes
- M-Tech Hotel Service Optimization System HotSOS
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Coordination, Time Management, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving.
Common job titles: CBX Operator (Computerized Branch Exchange Operator), Central Communications Specialist, Communications Operator, Communications Specialist, Information Specialist, PBX Operator (Private Branch Exchange Operator), Switchboard Operator (SB Operator), Switchboard Receptionist (SB Receptionist), Telecommunications Clerk, Telecommunications Operator.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do switchboard operators, including answering service make?
The national median annual wage for switchboard operators, including answering service was $38,630 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $29,990 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $59,470. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do switchboard operators, including answering service need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is switchboard operators, including answering service a growing career?
BLS projects employment of switchboard operators, including answering service to change -26.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 3,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay switchboard operators, including answering service the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Hawaii ($59,860), District of Columbia ($54,700), California ($48,840). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.