Telephone Operators Wages
SOC 43-2021 • Full occupation profile
The median annual wage for Telephone Operators is $38,080 nationally (2023 BLS OEWS). The 10th percentile is $29,770 and the 90th percentile is $59,230, showing the wide spread of wages in this occupation.
National Wage Distribution (2023)
Employment
4,600
P10
$29,770
P25
$33,820
Median
$38,080
P75
$48,590
P90
$59,230
National Wage Trend
How national median and mean wages for Telephone Operators have moved across BLS OEWS release years.
| Year | Median | Mean | P10 | P90 | Employment | YoY Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $38,080 | $42,100 | $29,770 | $59,230 | 4,600 | — |
| 2022 | $38,330 | $41,590 | $27,430 | $64,390 | 4,030 | +0.66% |
| 2021 | $37,630 | $39,370 | $23,690 | $60,120 | 3,870 | -1.83% |
| 2020 | $37,710 | $39,340 | $25,000 | $58,410 | 4,630 | +0.21% |
Wages by State (2023)
State-level OEWS wage estimates for Telephone Operators. The highest median is in California at $55,140, 45% above the U.S. median.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Mean Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $55,140 | +44.8% | $56,680 | 440 |
| Hawaii | $50,710 | +33.2% | $52,220 | 130 |
| New York | $49,990 | +31.3% | $54,440 | 440 |
| Washington | $49,890 | +31% | $50,070 | 30 |
| Missouri | $45,610 | +19.8% | $44,980 | — |
| District of Columbia | $45,460 | +19.4% | $44,600 | 140 |
| Illinois | $44,070 | +15.7% | $42,410 | 40 |
| New Jersey | $41,000 | +7.7% | $44,600 | 310 |
| Maryland | $39,730 | +4.3% | $42,280 | 90 |
| Connecticut | $39,670 | +4.2% | $42,110 | 70 |
| Nevada | $38,300 | +0.6% | $38,620 | 80 |
| Michigan | $37,360 | -1.9% | $36,380 | 40 |
| Georgia | $36,440 | -4.3% | $36,510 | 120 |
| Ohio | $36,390 | -4.4% | $35,370 | 180 |
| South Carolina | $36,240 | -4.8% | $39,480 | 70 |
| Kentucky | $36,170 | -5% | $36,320 | 70 |
| Wisconsin | $35,810 | -6% | $35,850 | 80 |
| Pennsylvania | $34,640 | -9% | $36,570 | 450 |
| Texas | $33,740 | -11.4% | $33,970 | — |
| Oklahoma | $31,560 | -17.1% | $34,310 | 40 |
| Mississippi | $28,770 | -24.4% | $29,940 | 30 |
| Louisiana | $25,670 | -32.6% | $25,950 | 130 |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — | 130 |