Telephone Operators Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for telephone operatorss 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
- California$55,910
- New York$52,290
- District of Columbia$50,960
- Massachusetts$50,890
- Wisconsin$45,260
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Louisiana$32,390
- Oklahoma$37,570
- Ohio$38,730
- Georgia$39,210
- North Carolina$39,850
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $55,910 | $57,170 | $27 | +24.3% | 230 |
| 2 | New York | $52,290 | $50,220 | $25 | +16.3% | — |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $50,960 | $49,330 | $25 | +13.3% | 50 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $50,890 | $47,940 | $24 | +13.2% | — |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $45,260 | $46,590 | $22 | +0.6% | 60 |
| 6 | Maryland | $44,290 | $42,460 | $21 | -1.5% | 110 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $44,130 | $41,960 | $21 | -1.9% | 190 |
| 8 | Virginia | $43,100 | $42,350 | $21 | -4.2% | — |
| 9 | Texas | $43,060 | $41,250 | $21 | -4.2% | 280 |
| 10 | Florida | $40,730 | $37,180 | $20 | -9.4% | 70 |
| 11 | Michigan | $40,590 | $37,550 | $20 | -9.7% | 80 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $39,850 | $40,360 | $19 | -11.4% | 40 |
| 13 | Georgia | $39,210 | $36,920 | $19 | -12.8% | 160 |
| 14 | Ohio | $38,730 | $36,970 | $19 | -13.9% | 220 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $37,570 | $37,320 | $18 | -16.5% | 40 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $32,390 | $31,400 | $16 | -28% | 50 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 17 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $58,900 | $55,510 | 110 |
| 2 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $51,410 | $52,200 | — |
| 3 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $47,940 | $52,680 | — |
| 4 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $47,410 | $50,210 | 60 |
| 5 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $45,000 | $49,150 | 140 |
| 6 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $44,980 | $44,020 | 100 |
| 7 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $42,460 | $44,500 | 80 |
| 8 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $40,400 | $44,500 | 40 |
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | $39,570 | $42,730 | 70 |
| 10 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $38,620 | $43,750 | 30 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing telephone operatorss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $48,710 | $50,860 | 60 |
| 2 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $48,710 | $50,860 | 60 |
| 3 | Sector 55 - Management of Companies and Enterprises | $48,710 | $50,860 | 60 |
| 4 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $48,390 | $51,620 | 260 |
| 5 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $48,390 | $51,620 | 260 |
| 6 | Sector 51 - Information | $48,260 | $56,520 | 290 |
| 7 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $48,060 | $51,510 | 230 |
| 8 | Social Assistance | $47,930 | $46,690 | — |
| 9 | Telecommunications | $46,970 | $56,920 | 270 |
| 10 | Hospitals | $45,150 | $46,040 | 1,120 |
| 11 | Hospitals, Privately Owned | $45,150 | $46,450 | 1,040 |
| 12 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $45,150 | $46,280 | 1,030 |
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 telephone operators make in the U.S.?
The median telephone operators salary in the United States is $41,740 per year (mean $44,970), and about 80% earn between $31,510 and $62,950.
How much do telephone operators make per hour?
Roughly $22 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $44,970 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays telephone operators the most?
California has the highest average pay for telephone operators at $55,910 per year (median $57,170).
What is the job outlook for telephone operators?
Employment is projected to change -27.5% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 300 openings per year.