Who Earns What

How much does an interviewer make?

US Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan
$45,920

a year · about $22 an hour

A typical interviewer in the United States makes $45,920 a year, about $22 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

What do they do?

An interviewer may call or meet people, ask set questions, and enter their answers on a form or computer. They check for missing or conflicting answers, clarify them, and report completed work to a supervisor.

Did you know? Some U.S. Census Bureau interviewers ask the same household questions eight times over 16 months—not just once.

Is that a lot?

Compared with jobs you know
This job$45,920
Typical worker$50,980
Elementary teacher$63,970
Doctor$244,180
Cashier$32,880

If 100 people had this job

Most earn between $33,900 and $62,810
53 of 100
more than half

How do you become one?

In the U.S., most employers ask for a high school diploma or equivalent. New interviewers usually learn through on-the-job practice and guidance from experienced workers; listening well, speaking clearly, and recording answers accurately are useful.

School needed: Vocational school or a few years' experience

Good for people who like keeping things organized and helping and teaching

Why does pay differ?

In the U.S., pay can differ with experience, location, and the kind of employer, such as a hospital, college, or survey firm. Work hours and duties matter too; pay differs across industries and places, and more complex tasks can pay differently.

Where does it pay most?

Highest in California ($56,880), lowest in Alabama ($34,180).

See every state
Whole US$45,920
California$56,880
New York$55,410
Washington$51,090
Oregon$50,730
Massachusetts$50,340
West Virginia$36,480
Mississippi$35,110
Alabama$34,180

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

Jobs like this

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Who earns more?
Data table and sources
Interviewer pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$33,900$45,920$62,810about 148,000
States where interviewers earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
California$56,880about 22,000
New York$55,410about 9,000
Washington$51,090about 3,000
Oregon$50,730about 2,000
Massachusetts$50,340about 3,000

Official definition: Interview persons by telephone, mail, in person, or by other means for the purpose of completing forms, applications, or questionnaires. Ask specific questions, record answers, and assist persons with completing form. May sort, classify, and file forms.

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY