Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for switchboard operators, including answering services across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Hawaii$57,030
- District of Columbia$56,040
- California$54,360
- New York$49,950
- Minnesota$48,220
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Mississippi$31,080
- Alabama$32,860
- Texas$33,810
- Tennessee$35,310
- South Carolina$35,310
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $57,030 | $59,860 | $27 | +34.8% | 410 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $56,040 | $54,700 | $27 | +32.5% | 230 |
| 3 | California | $54,360 | $48,840 | $26 | +28.5% | 6,680 |
| 4 | New York | $49,950 | $45,330 | $24 | +18.1% | 1,760 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $48,220 | $47,430 | $23 | +14% | 200 |
| 6 | Washington | $48,140 | $47,800 | $23 | +13.8% | 430 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $45,190 | $43,790 | $22 | +6.8% | 830 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $43,860 | $44,210 | $21 | +3.7% | 100 |
| 9 | Maine | $43,750 | $43,350 | $21 | +3.4% | 100 |
| 10 | Illinois | $43,410 | $42,660 | $21 | +2.6% | 1,240 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $43,320 | $40,430 | $21 | +2.4% | 660 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $43,200 | $40,030 | $21 | +2.1% | 550 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $42,960 | $38,380 | $21 | +1.6% | 180 |
| 14 | Vermont | $42,940 | $42,630 | $21 | +1.5% | 70 |
| 15 | Colorado | $42,720 | $43,720 | $21 | +1% | 320 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $42,330 | $39,850 | $20 | +0.1% | 130 |
| 17 | Arizona | $41,380 | $40,380 | $20 | -2.2% | 380 |
| 18 | Georgia | $40,040 | $39,490 | $19 | -5.3% | 780 |
| 19 | Iowa | $40,010 | $38,400 | $19 | -5.4% | 210 |
| 20 | Alaska | $39,850 | $37,690 | $19 | -5.8% | — |
| 21 | New Mexico | $39,790 | $37,710 | $19 | -5.9% | 220 |
| 22 | Michigan | $39,320 | $37,390 | $19 | -7% | 370 |
| 23 | Indiana | $39,300 | $36,860 | $19 | -7.1% | 380 |
| 24 | Maryland | $39,300 | $37,080 | $19 | -7.1% | 650 |
| 25 | Kansas | $38,970 | $38,760 | $19 | -7.9% | 180 |
| 26 | Nevada | $38,870 | $38,070 | $19 | -8.1% | 650 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $38,620 | $37,570 | $19 | -8.7% | 180 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $38,580 | $38,520 | $19 | -8.8% | 690 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $38,010 | $37,590 | $18 | -10.1% | 370 |
| 30 | Missouri | $37,980 | $37,130 | $18 | -10.2% | 640 |
| 31 | Montana | $37,950 | $36,270 | $18 | -10.3% | 110 |
| 32 | Delaware | $37,610 | $35,980 | $18 | -11.1% | 180 |
| 33 | Virginia | $37,470 | $36,730 | $18 | -11.4% | 610 |
| 34 | Florida | $37,210 | $35,410 | $18 | -12% | 3,090 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $36,810 | $37,430 | $18 | -13% | 110 |
| 36 | Idaho | $36,690 | $38,000 | $18 | -13.3% | 70 |
| 37 | Ohio | $36,620 | $36,350 | $18 | -13.4% | 990 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $35,820 | $36,890 | $17 | -15.3% | 1,350 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $35,660 | $35,280 | $17 | -15.7% | 480 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $35,390 | $35,890 | $17 | -16.3% | — |
| 41 | Arkansas | $35,360 | $35,290 | $17 | -16.4% | 260 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $35,310 | $34,010 | $17 | -16.5% | 480 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $35,310 | $35,550 | $17 | -16.5% | 680 |
| 44 | Texas | $33,810 | $33,620 | $16 | -20.1% | 3,640 |
| 45 | Alabama | $32,860 | $32,210 | $16 | -22.3% | 680 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $31,080 | $30,520 | $15 | -26.5% | 200 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 180 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $79,260 | $73,450 | 440 |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $63,190 | $57,600 | 240 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $61,780 | $61,160 | 700 |
| 4 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $60,420 | $60,220 | 70 |
| 5 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $59,360 | $57,560 | 170 |
| 6 | Barnstable Town, MA | $57,030 | $54,840 | 40 |
| 7 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $52,010 | $53,340 | 100 |
| 8 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $51,950 | $51,700 | 110 |
| 9 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $50,470 | $51,190 | 190 |
| 10 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $49,840 | $52,840 | 60 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing switchboard operators, including answering services (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Outpatient Care Centers | $66,530 | $63,510 | 1,950 |
| 2 | Civic and Social Organizations | $57,110 | $51,590 | 30 |
| 3 | All Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | $56,550 | $52,260 | — |
| 4 | Office Administrative Services | $54,360 | $50,400 | — |
| 5 | Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | $51,850 | $54,380 | — |
| 6 | Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $51,050 | $49,050 | 100 |
| 7 | Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $51,050 | $51,200 | 40 |
| 8 | Specialty Trade Contractors | $50,950 | $52,000 | — |
| 9 | Building Equipment Contractors | $50,950 | $52,680 | — |
| 10 | Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $49,230 | $48,530 | — |
| 11 | Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $49,230 | $48,430 | — |
| 12 | Sector 42 - Wholesale Trade | $49,230 | $47,600 | — |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do switchboard operators, including answering service make in the U.S.?
The median switchboard operators, including answering service salary in the United States is $38,630 per year (mean $42,300), and about 80% earn between $29,990 and $59,470.
How much do switchboard operators, including answering service make per hour?
Roughly $20 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $42,300 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays switchboard operators, including answering service the most?
Hawaii has the highest average pay for switchboard operators, including answering service at $57,030 per year (median $59,860).
What is the job outlook for switchboard operators, including answering service?
Employment is projected to change -26.3% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 2,800 openings per year.