Communications operator vs relay operator

The differences between communications operators and relay operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a communications operator and a relay operator. Additionally, a relay operator has an average salary of $36,743, which is higher than the $31,491 average annual salary of a communications operator.

The top three skills for a communications operator include patients, customer service and emergency situations. The most important skills for a relay operator are phone calls, customer service, and speech patterns.

Communications operator vs relay operator overview

	Communications Operator	Relay Operator
Yearly salary	$31,491	$36,743
Hourly rate	$15.14	$17.66
Growth rate	4%	7%
Number of jobs	48,509	30,971
Job satisfaction	-	3
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	High School Diploma, 31%
Average age	53	53
Years of experience	2	2

Communications operator vs relay operator salary

Communications operators and relay operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Communications Operator	Relay Operator
Average salary	$31,491	$36,743
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $40,000	Between $24,000 And $54,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	-
Highest paying state	California	-
Best paying company	City of Round Rock	-
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between communications operator and relay operator education

There are a few differences between a communications operator and a relay operator in terms of educational background:

	Communications Operator	Relay Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	High School Diploma, 31%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Communications operator vs relay operator demographics

Here are the differences between communications operators' and relay operators' demographics:

	Communications Operator	Relay Operator
Average age	53	53
Gender ratio	Male, 39.6% Female, 60.4%	Male, 30.2% Female, 69.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 3.8% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%	Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 4.0% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
LGBT Percentage	19%	19%

Differences between communications operator and relay operator duties and responsibilities

Communications operator example responsibilities.

Manage busy company switchboard, operating PBX or private branch exchange systems to facilitate connections.
Perform NCIC, DMV, warrant and missing person checks for police officers in the field.
Supervise telecommunication operations and reinforce the confidentiality in telecommunications.
Dispatch ambulances, tow trucks, fire department, aid cars, and other aid as requested, maintain appropriate record.
Utilize``new media,``including blogging, a collective photo site, intellipedia, and instant messaging.
Work dispatch for DPS Pecos and DPS San Angelo ,

Relay operator example responsibilities.

Translate from written ASL to English.
Relay calls for deaf people using tty machines and VCO 's
Receive calls via CRT or similar device from speech/hearing impair users.
Identify customer needs and present an appropriate solution by upselling calling plans.
Attend workshops that deal with learning ASL and the daily living of that particular community.
Acknowledge call and communicate with user via CRT or other terminal until conversation are complete.

Communications operator vs relay operator skills

Common communications operator skills

Patients, 14%
Customer Service, 14%
Emergency Situations, 6%
PBX, 5%
Public Safety, 4%
Non-Emergency Calls, 4%

Common relay operator skills

Phone Calls, 24%
Customer Service, 19%
Speech Patterns, 10%
Deaf Community, 6%
Inbound Calls, 6%
Outbound Calls, 3%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Communications Operator
Communications Operator vs Relay Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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