Call center operator demographics and statistics in the US
Call center operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates call center operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our call center operator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about call center operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 152,099 call center operators currently employed in the United States.
- 73.4% of all call center operators are women, while 26.6% are men.
- The average call center operator age is 53 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of call center operators is White (60.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.4%), Black or African American (14.4%) and Unknown (3.6%).
- Call center operators are most in-demand in Boston, MA.
- The media industry is the highest-paying for call center operators.
- Vacaville, CA pays an annual average wage of $41,997, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women call center operators earned 98% of what men earned.
- 19% of all call center operators are LGBT.
- Maine is the best state for call center operators to live.
- Call center operators are 60% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Call center operator demographics by:
Call center operator gender statistics
73.4% of call center operators are women and 26.6% of call center operators are men.
- Female, 73.4%
- Male, 26.6%
Call center operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 73.4% |
| Male | 26.6% |
Call center operator gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$32,111
Female income
$31,509
Call center operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in call center operator positions over time. Currently, 73.4% of call center operators are female.
Call center operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 29.83% | 70.17% |
| 2011 | 31.62% | 68.38% |
| 2012 | 30.03% | 69.97% |
| 2013 | 33.56% | 66.44% |
| 2014 | 30.18% | 69.82% |
| 2015 | 32.94% | 67.06% |
| 2016 | 36.06% | 63.94% |
| 2017 | 30.92% | 69.08% |
| 2018 | 29.83% | 70.17% |
| 2019 | 41.58% | 58.42% |
| 2020 | 43.70% | 56.30% |
| 2021 | 26.62% | 73.38% |
Call center operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared call center operators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, tandem operator and feeder switchboard operator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Switchboard Operator, Receptionist | 6% | 94% |
| Complaint Operator | 9% | 91% |
| Switchboard Operator | 13% | 87% |
| Call Center Operator | 27% | 73% |
| Interceptor Operator | 77% | 23% |
| Feeder Switchboard Operator | 83% | 17% |
| Tandem Operator | 90% | 10% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Call center operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among call center operators is White, which makes up 60.0% of all call center operators. Comparatively, 17.4% of call center operators are Hispanic or Latino and 14.4% of call center operators are Black or African American.
- White, 60.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.4%
- Black or African American, 14.4%
- Unknown, 3.6%
- Asian, 3.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
Call center operator race
| Call center operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 60.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.4% |
| Black or African American | 14.4% |
| Unknown | 3.6% |
| Asian | 3.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.2% |
Call center operator race and ethnicity over time
See how call center operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Call center operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.24% | 13.12% | 2.44% | 17.17% |
| 2011 | 61.76% | 13.34% | 4.99% | 17.81% |
| 2012 | 61.22% | 16.77% | 2.60% | 15.16% |
| 2013 | 63.00% | 15.66% | 2.07% | 16.93% |
| 2014 | 61.65% | 12.96% | 3.29% | 18.67% |
| 2015 | 61.17% | 14.48% | 4.94% | 17.14% |
| 2016 | 58.66% | 14.14% | 3.45% | 20.31% |
| 2017 | 63.33% | 16.33% | 3.06% | 12.93% |
| 2018 | 64.16% | 13.57% | 3.37% | 16.13% |
| 2019 | 58.26% | 17.43% | 4.22% | 16.46% |
| 2020 | 53.38% | 15.37% | 3.24% | 20.43% |
| 2021 | 60.00% | 14.44% | 3.36% | 17.42% |
Call center operator wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino call center operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american call center operators have the lowest average salary at $31,440.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $31,876 |
| White | $32,124 |
| Black or African American | $31,440 |
| Asian | $32,240 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $32,894 |
Average call center operator age
See how the average age of call center operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Call center operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| White | 59 | |
| Black or African American | 53 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 51 |
Call center operator age breakdown
The average age of call center operators is 40+ years years old, representing 82% of the call center operator population.
Call center operator age breakdown
| Call Center Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 82% |
| 30-40 years | 12% |
| 20-30 years | 6% |
Call center operator educational attainment
The most common degree for call center operators is bachelor's degree, with 36% of call center operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 24% and associate degree degree at 24%.
- Bachelor's, 36%
- Associate, 24%
- High School Diploma, 24%
- Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Call center operators by degree level
| Call center operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 36% |
| Associate | 24% |
| High School Diploma | 24% |
| Diploma | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Call center operator jobs you might like
Call center operator employment statistics
Most call center operators work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where call center operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where call center operators work.
Call center operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 17% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 28% |
Call center operator jobs by company type
Employees with the call center operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most call center operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Call center operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 7% |
| Public | 29% |
| Private | 60% |
| Government | 4% |
Call center operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for call center operators are health care, professional and retail.
Call center operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 16% |
| Professional | 13% |
| Fortune 500 | 12% |
| Retail | 8% |
| Technology | 7% |
| Media | 5% |
| Telecommunication | 5% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Education | 5% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Government | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Real Estate | 3% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Call center operator turnover and employment statistics
Call center operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for call center operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Call center operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Call center operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 9.91% |
| 2011 | 10.86% |
| 2012 | 9.07% |
| 2013 | 9.46% |
| 2014 | 8.20% |
| 2015 | 6.13% |
| 2016 | 5.22% |
| 2017 | 4.58% |
| 2018 | 4.44% |
| 2019 | 3.88% |
| 2020 | 4.57% |
| 2021 | 10.47% |
Average call center operator tenure
The average call center operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,441 call center operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Call center operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 37% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 10% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 4% |
Call center operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of call center operators that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Public Safety Dispatcher | 6.75% | 25,700 |
| Audit Clerk | 6.76% | 97,427 |
| Executive Assistant | 7.79% | 93,116 |
| Parcel Assistant | 8.68% | 10,187 |
| Mortgage Processor | 9.31% | 9,057 |
| Long Lines Operator | 10.75% | 28,139 |
| Call Center Operator | 19.13% | - |
Similar call center operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Public Safety Dispatcher | 6.75% | 25,700 |
| Audit Clerk | 6.76% | 97,427 |
| Executive Assistant | 7.79% | 93,116 |
| Parcel Assistant | 8.68% | 10,187 |
| Mortgage Processor | 9.31% | 9,057 |
| Long Lines Operator | 10.75% | 28,139 |
Foreign languages spoken by call center operators
The most common foreign language among call center operators is Spanish at 69.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 7.8% and German is the third-most popular at 3.6%.
- Spanish, 69.3%
- French, 7.8%
- German, 3.6%
- Japanese, 3.6%
- Italian, 3.6%
- Other, 12.1%
Call center operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 69.3% |
| French | 7.8% |
| German | 3.6% |
| Japanese | 3.6% |
| Italian | 3.6% |
| Other | 12.1% |
