The average salary for a telephone operator in the United States is $42,100, but the range typically falls between $33,820 and $48,590. This corresponds to an average hourly wage of $20.24, with a range between $16.26 and $23.36.
There are approximately 4,600 people employed as a telephone operator in the United States. With Pennsylvania, California, New York employing the highest number of telephone operators.The state with the best pay for a telephone operator is California, with an average annual salary of $56,680, while Louisiana has the lowest average annual salary of $25,950.
| Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $29,770 | $14.31 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,820 | $16.26 |
| Median | $38,080 | $18.31 |
| 75th Percentile | $48,590 | $23.36 |
| 90th Percentile | $59,230 | $28.48 |
The salary of a telephone operator can vary depending on the state. Below is a map of the United States showing the average annual salary for a telephone operator in each state. The darker the color, the higher the salary. The best states for telephone operators are California, Hawaii, New York, Washington, Missouri while the worst states are Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Pennsylvania.
| State | Low-end | Average | High-end |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $44,070 | $56,680 | $71,220 |
| Connecticut | $36,100 | $42,110 | $48,570 |
| District of Columbia | $34,030 | $44,600 | $54,060 |
| Georgia | $27,800 | $36,510 | $46,420 |
| Hawaii | $49,540 | $52,220 | $62,760 |
| Illinois | $37,790 | $42,410 | $46,830 |
| Kentucky | $31,860 | $36,320 | $38,760 |
| Louisiana | $22,810 | $25,950 | $31,070 |
| Maryland | $34,840 | $42,280 | $50,780 |
| Michigan | $30,560 | $36,380 | $38,260 |
| Mississippi | $26,630 | $29,940 | $35,910 |
| Missouri | $34,780 | $44,980 | $53,850 |
| Nevada | $28,490 | $38,620 | $48,590 |
| New Jersey | $30,150 | $44,600 | $65,730 |
| New York | $37,580 | $54,440 | $79,260 |
| Ohio | $27,550 | $35,370 | $39,990 |
| Oklahoma | $29,240 | $34,310 | $44,880 |
| Pennsylvania | $27,780 | $36,570 | $45,410 |
| South Carolina | $29,490 | $39,480 | $49,560 |
| Texas | $31,070 | $33,970 | $36,880 |
| Washington | $48,660 | $50,070 | $54,000 |
| Wisconsin | $22,130 | $35,850 | $45,860 |
Even between cities, the salary of a telephone operator can vary. For example, the areas with the highest average salary for telephone operators is San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area, CA with an average salary of $57,850.The city with the lowest average salary for telephone operators is New Orleans-Metairie area, LA with an average salary of $27,840.
Areas with highest average salaries for telephone operators
Areas with lowest average salaries for telephone operators
The number of telephone operators in the United States has been decreasing over the years. Since 2020, the number of telephone operators has decreased by -30. On average, the number of telephone operators has been increasing by -0.2% each year. The salary of telephone operators has been increasing. Since 2020, the salary of telephone operators has increased by $2,760. On average, the salary of telephone operators has been increasing by 1.8% each year.
Telephone Operators are part of the office and administrative support occupations group. Below is a comparison of the average annual salary for telephone operators compared to other jobs in the same occupation group. View all office and administrative support occupations jobs here.
$63,130 per year
$39,600 per year
$46,020 per year
$43,560 per year
$54,690 per year
$53,610 per year
