SOC 43-2021 · Office and Administrative Support Occupations
Telephone Operators
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries
Nationally, telephone operators earned a median of $41,740 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 3,430 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.
National pay distribution
Pay by state
Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
| State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $57,170 | $27.49 | 230 | 0.0 |
| New York | $50,220 | $24.15 | Not published | Not published |
| District of Columbia | $49,330 | $23.71 | 50 | 0.1 |
| Massachusetts | $47,940 | $23.05 | Not published | Not published |
| Wisconsin | $46,590 | $22.40 | 60 | 0.0 |
| Maryland | $42,460 | $20.41 | 110 | 0.0 |
| Virginia | $42,350 | $20.36 | Not published | Not published |
| New Jersey | $41,960 | $20.17 | 190 | 0.0 |
| Texas | $41,250 | $19.83 | 280 | 0.0 |
| North Carolina | $40,360 | $19.40 | 40 | 0.0 |
| Michigan | $37,550 | $18.05 | 80 | 0.0 |
| Oklahoma | $37,320 | $17.94 | 40 | 0.0 |
| Florida | $37,180 | $17.88 | 70 | 0.0 |
| Ohio | $36,970 | $17.77 | 220 | 0.0 |
| Georgia | $36,920 | $17.75 | 160 | 0.0 |
| Louisiana | $31,400 | $15.09 | 50 | 0.0 |
| South Carolina | Not published | Not published | 170 | 0.1 |
| Tennessee | Not published | Not published | 150 | 0.0 |
Pay by metro area
All 17 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.
Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
| Metro area | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $58,900 | $28.32 | 110 | 0.0 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $51,410 | $24.72 | Not published | Not published |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $47,940 | $23.05 | Not published | Not published |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $47,410 | $22.79 | 60 | 0.0 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $45,000 | $21.63 | 140 | 0.0 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $44,980 | $21.63 | 100 | 0.1 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $42,460 | $20.41 | 80 | 0.1 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $40,400 | $19.42 | 40 | 0.0 |
| Cleveland, OH | $39,570 | $19.02 | 70 | 0.1 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $38,620 | $18.57 | 30 | 0.1 |
| Columbus, OH | $37,890 | $18.22 | 30 | 0.0 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $37,600 | $18.08 | 50 | 0.0 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $37,550 | $18.05 | 50 | 0.0 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $37,150 | $17.86 | Not published | Not published |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | Not published | Not published | 90 | 0.2 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | Not published | Not published | 50 | 0.0 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | Not published | Not published | 50 | 0.0 |
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.