The median pay for Telephone Operators is $41,740 a year ($20.07/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to fall 27.6% through 2035, with about 200 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 43-2021
- Office and Administrative Support
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Telephone Operator in four numbers
- Median pay
- $41,740a year, or $20.07/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $32KTop 10% $63K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -27.6%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−27.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −27.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2003,500 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20253.5K
- Projected 20352.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 3.5K Projected 2035 2.5K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school97.8%
- Some college0.2%
- Associate's1.9%
Highest education held by telephone operators Segment Value High school 97.8% Some college 0.2% Associate's 1.9%
Also advertised as: 411 Directory Assistance Operator (411 Directory Assistance Op), Directory Assistance Operator (Directory Assistance Op), Information Specialist, Live Source Operator (Live Source Op), Long Distance Operator (LD Operator), PBX Operator (Post Box Exchange Operator).
Pay
How much do Telephone Operators make?
Every telephone operator in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$41,740
Middle half earn $36,920 to $51,510
- 10th
- $31,510
- 25th
- $36,920
- 75th
- $51,510
- 90th
- $62,950
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $31,510 |
| 25th | $36,920 |
| Median | $41,740 |
| 75th | $51,510 |
| 90th | $62,950 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $41,740
- Median hourly wage
- $20.07/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $44,970
- People employed
- 3,430
Versus all US occupations
At $41,740, Telephone Operators earn 18% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $9,240 a year.
Versus office and administrative support occupations
Inside the Office and Administrative Support group, where the middle occupation pays $49,230, this is 15% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $62,950 or more while the bottom 10% earn $31,510, a gap of 2.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 9% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
California pays the most at $57,170, and still leads at $51,635 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Telephone Operators the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $57,170 | $51,635 | 230 |
| 2New York | $50,220 | $46,534 | N/A |
| 3District of Columbia | $49,330 | $44,886 | 50 |
| 4Massachusetts | $47,940 | $45,330 | N/A |
| 5Wisconsin | $46,590 | $49,514 | 60 |
| 6Maryland | $42,460 | $40,454 | 110 |
| 7Virginia | $42,350 | $41,888 | N/A |
| 8New Jersey | $41,960 | $38,564 | 190 |
| 9Texas | $41,250 | $42,501 | 280 |
| 10North Carolina | $40,360 | $42,788 | 40 |
Job outlook
Is Telephone Operator a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -27.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Telephone Operators | −27.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Telephone Operators to change -27.6% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 1,000 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 200 openings are projected each year, 5.7% of the 3,500 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Telephone Operator
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as telephone operators.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)97.8%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree1.9%
- Some College Courses0.2%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 97.8% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 1.9% |
| Some College Courses | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Telephone Operator do?
Provide information by accessing alphabetical, geographical, or other directories. Assist customers with special billing requests, such as charges to a third party and credits or refunds for incorrectly dialed numbers or bad connections. May handle emergency calls and assist children or people with physical disabilities to make telephone calls.
Day-to-day tasks
- 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.
- Offer special assistance to persons such as those who are unable to dial or who are in emergency situations.
- Suggest and check alternate spellings, locations, or listing formats to customers lacking details or complete information.
- Listen to customer requests, referring to alphabetical or geographical directories to answer questions and provide telephone information.
- Observe signal lights on switchboards, and dial or press buttons to make connections.
- Update directory information.
- Perform clerical duties such as typing, proofreading, and sorting mail.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Monitoring2.8
- Writing2.3
- Active Learning2.3
- Learning Strategies2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 2.8 |
| Writing | 2.3 |
| Active Learning | 2.3 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Service Orientation3.5
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Complex Problem Solving2.6
- Coordination2.5
- Time Management2.5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.3
- Persuasion2.0
- Instructing2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Service Orientation | 3.5 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.6 |
| Coordination | 2.5 |
| Time Management | 2.5 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.3 |
| Persuasion | 2.0 |
| Instructing | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Helpdesk or call center software
- Video conferencing software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Telephone Operator?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Telephone Operator |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with teaching, helping and working directly with other people.
- Conventional6.2
- Social4.0
- Enterprising3.3
- Realistic3.2
- Investigative1.1
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Telephone Operator
O*NET related occupations
- Office and Administrative Support
Switchboard Operator, Including Answering Service
$38,630median a year
Most earn $30K to $59K
−26.0%High school - Office and Administrative Support
- Sales and Related
- Office and Administrative Support
- Office and Administrative Support
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Telecommunications Equipment Installer and Repairer, Except Line Installers
$63,890median a year
Most earn $44K to $97K
−3.3%Certificate
More office and administrative support careers
Median annual pay, with telephone operators highlighted
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant$76,590
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant$55,570
- Public Safety Telecommunicator$53,040
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$50,670
- Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$50,610
- Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Teller$43,030
- Telephone Operator$41,740
- Receptionist and Information Clerk$38,010
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant | $76,590 |
| Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant | $55,570 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | $53,040 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk | $50,670 |
| Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $50,610 |
| Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,540 |
| Teller | $43,030 |
| Telephone Operator | $41,740 |
| Receptionist and Information Clerk | $38,010 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Telephone Operator appears on
Questions
Telephone Operator: frequently asked questions
How much do Telephone Operators make?
Telephone Operators earn a median of $41,740 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 18% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $20.07/hr. The middle half earn between $36,920 and $51,510. The top 10% earn $62,950 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Telephone Operator?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Telephone Operators. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 97.8% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Telephone Operator a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 27.6% over 2025–2035, a loss of 1,000 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Telephone Operator do?
Provide information by accessing alphabetical, geographical, or other directories. A core O*NET task: 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. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Operating system software.
Which states pay Telephone Operators the most?
The highest state medians for Telephone Operators are California ($57,170), New York ($50,220), District of Columbia ($49,330) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Telephone Operator?
O*NET scores Telephone Operators highest on the Conventional, Social and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with teaching, helping and working directly with other people. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESFJ, ISFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.