How much does a telephone operator make?
a year · about $20 an hour
A typical telephone operator in the United States makes $41,740 a year, about $20 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
At a switchboard, an operator listens to a request, looks up a name or number, and presses buttons to connect the call. They may also handle emergency calls or help someone who cannot dial the phone.
Did you know? Some U.S. telephone operators help children or people with physical disabilities place calls—and may handle emergency calls, too.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $31,510 and $62,950How do you become one?
In the United States, a high school diploma or GED is the usual starting point. Then you can apply for an operator job and learn the phone systems on the job; training can take from a few days to a year.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like keeping things organized and helping and teaching
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, more experience, useful skills, or harder duties can help a telephone operator earn more. Pay can also differ by employer or industry and by location.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in California ($57,170), lowest in Louisiana ($31,400).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $31,510 | $41,740 | $62,950 | about 3,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| California | $57,170 | about 230 |
| New York | $50,220 | — |
| District of Columbia | $49,330 | about 50 |
| Massachusetts | $47,940 | — |
| Wisconsin | $46,590 | about 60 |
Official definition: Provide information by accessing alphabetical, geographical, or other directories. Assist customers with special billing requests, such as charges to a third party and credits or refunds for incorrectly dialed numbers or bad connections. May handle emergency calls and assist children or people with physical disabilities to make telephone calls.
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
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/43-2021.00
- www.onetonline.org/skills/zone/43-2021.00
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes432021.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY