Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service · SOC 43-2011
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area
Figures describe the Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area, a BLS-defined region outside metropolitan areas — not a single city or town.
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area earned a median of $21,240 per year ($10.21 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $20,800 at the 10th percentile to $35,890 at the 90th. BLS estimates 90 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area earn more than $21,240 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $20,800 and $26,680.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $20,800 | $20,800 | $21,240 | $26,680 | $35,890 |
| Hourly | $10.00 | $10.00 | $10.21 | $12.83 | $17.25 |
A percentile is a cut point: 25% of workers in this occupation and area earn less than the 25th-percentile wage. The median is the 50th percentile — half earn less, half earn more.
How this area compares
- Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area$21,240 median for Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $20,800 to $26,680
- Louisianastate$35,890 median for Louisiana; middle half earns $28,330 to $39,060
- United Statesnational$38,630 median for United States; middle half earns $34,820 to $46,530
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
The median here is −41% vs Louisiana overall and −45% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Other metro areas in Louisiana
Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for switchboard operators, including answering service, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
- Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan areathis page$21,240 median for Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $20,800 to $26,680
- $38,540 median for Baton Rouge metro area; middle half earns $32,560 to $39,180
- $37,990 median for Alexandria metro area; middle half earns $32,690 to $45,660
- $37,480 median for Hammond metro area; middle half earns $36,090 to $46,520
- $37,120 median for New Orleans metro area; middle half earns $31,480 to $39,240
- $37,110 median for Slidell metro area; middle half earns $30,030 to $37,650
- $37,020 median for Shreveport metro area; middle half earns $30,420 to $47,650
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
Keep exploring
Other occupations in the same SOC group with published medians here, largest employment first:
Highest-paying metro areas for switchboard operators, including answering services · Highest-paying occupations in Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area
About this estimate
These figures are survey estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — modeled from employer reports collected over three years and benchmarked to May 2025. They describe what employers in this area currently pay across all industries, not what any individual worker will be offered.
Employment counts wage-and-salary jobs in the occupation (self-employed workers are excluded). Estimates carry sampling error; percentile wages are rounded by BLS. Some values are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality or quality — suppressed values appear here as “not published”, never as zero. Read the full methodology.
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.