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The average salary for a switchboard operator and receptionist in the United States is $25,889 annually, translating to approximately $12.45 per hour. This salary can fluctuate based on several factors, including geographic location, industry, and level of experience.
Entry-level positions typically start around $20,000 per year, while experienced professionals can earn upwards of $35,000. Jobs in metropolitan areas or industries such as healthcare and finance often offer higher wages.
Regions with higher demand for administrative support roles tend to have better pay. For example, states like California and New York report higher average salaries, often exceeding $30,000 annually. Major cities also present opportunities for increased earnings due to their bustling business environments.
In these sectors, the need for efficient communication and organizational skills drives up salary potential, making them attractive fields for job seekers.
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The average switchboard operator, receptionist salary in Washington, California, and Minnesota are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average switchboard operator, receptionist salary states are North Dakota, Virginia, and Florida.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $37,511 | $18.03 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $31,188 | $14.99 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $31,372 | $15.08 |
| 4 | Maine | $31,480 | $15.13 |
| 5 | New York | $32,584 | $15.67 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $32,830 | $15.78 |
| 7 | Nevada | $30,479 | $14.65 |
| 8 | California | $35,635 | $17.13 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $30,930 | $14.87 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $31,494 | $15.14 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $31,582 | $15.18 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $28,697 | $13.80 |
| 13 | Delaware | $29,211 | $14.04 |
| 14 | Idaho | $30,599 | $14.71 |
| 15 | Vermont | $31,491 | $15.14 |
| 16 | Michigan | $26,685 | $12.83 |
| 17 | Montana | $26,798 | $12.88 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $27,132 | $13.04 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $28,308 | $13.61 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $27,668 | $13.30 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $26,753 | $12.86 |
| 22 | Iowa | $25,124 | $12.08 |
| 23 | Oregon | $27,101 | $13.03 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $26,463 | $12.72 |
| 25 | Alaska | $25,950 | $12.48 |
| 26 | Illinois | $26,993 | $12.98 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $26,949 | $12.96 |
| 28 | Colorado | $26,803 | $12.89 |
| 29 | Kansas | $26,173 | $12.58 |
| 30 | Ohio | $25,054 | $12.05 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $25,895 | $12.45 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $25,578 | $12.30 |
| 33 | Utah | $24,692 | $11.87 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $25,809 | $12.41 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $23,767 | $11.43 |
| 36 | Arizona | $24,745 | $11.90 |
| 37 | Missouri | $24,770 | $11.91 |
| 38 | Alabama | $25,640 | $12.33 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $25,283 | $12.16 |
| 40 | Maryland | $25,420 | $12.22 |
| 41 | Indiana | $24,220 | $11.64 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $25,001 | $12.02 |
| 43 | Florida | $22,069 | $10.61 |
| 44 | Georgia | $23,556 | $11.32 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $23,503 | $11.30 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $24,263 | $11.66 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $23,455 | $11.28 |
| 48 | Virginia | $23,000 | $11.06 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $21,613 | $10.39 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $22,025 | $10.59 |
| 51 | Texas | $19,353 | $9.30 |
The highest-paying cities for switchboard operators, receptionist are Spokane Valley, WA, Santa Clara, CA, and Bloomington, MN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spokane Valley, WA | $36,952 | $17.77 |
| 2 | Santa Clara, CA | $36,404 | $17.50 |
| 3 | Bloomington, MN | $32,732 | $15.74 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $32,514 | $15.63 |
| 5 | Cambridge, MA | $31,423 | $15.11 |
| 6 | North Bergen, NJ | $26,952 | $12.96 |
| 7 | Colorado Springs, CO | $26,706 | $12.84 |
| 8 | Kearney, NE | $25,273 | $12.15 |
| 9 | Phoenix, AZ | $24,776 | $11.91 |
| 10 | Saint Louis, MO | $24,716 | $11.88 |
| 11 | Columbus, OH | $24,618 | $11.84 |
| 12 | Evansville, IN | $23,705 | $11.40 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $23,652 | $11.37 |
| 14 | Gainesville, FL | $22,136 | $10.64 |
| 15 | Mount Pleasant, SC | $21,526 | $10.35 |
| 16 | Fort Worth, TX | $19,397 | $9.33 |
A switchboard operator, receptionist's salary ranges from $19,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $33,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 75th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| Average | $25,889 | $2,157 | $12 |
| 25th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
| 10th Percentile | $19,000 | $1,583 | $9 |
The highest paying types of switchboard operators, receptionist are service operator, support clerk, and front desk administration.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support Clerk | $35,159 | $2,930 | $16.90 | 163,168 |
| Front Desk Administration | $34,479 | $2,873 | $16.58 | 67,462 |
| Receptionist/Customer Service | $30,604 | $2,550 | $14.71 | 216,587 |
| PBX Operator | $29,942 | $2,495 | $14.40 | 30,866 |
| Receptionist/Billing Clerk | $31,932 | $2,661 | $15.35 | 129,530 |
| Call Center Operator | $31,022 | $2,585 | $14.91 | 215,083 |
Top companies hiring switchboard operators, receptionist now:
Switchboard operator, receptionist salaries at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Hackensack Meridian Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average switchboard operator, receptionist salary at companies like Universal Health Services and Select Medical are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital | $31,201 | $15.00 |
| 2 | Hackensack Meridian Health | $29,210 | $14.04 |
| 3 | Universal Health Services | $29,111 | $14.00 |
| 4 | Select Medical | $28,877 | $13.88 |
| 5 | Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation | $28,624 | $13.76 |
| 6 | Allied Electronics & Automation | $28,459 | $13.68 |
| 7 | Rotech Healthcare | $27,587 | $13.26 |
| 8 | Accenture | $27,536 | $13.24 |
| 9 | My Florida Regional Mls | $27,421 | $13.18 |
| 10 | Kelly Services | $27,279 | $13.11 |
| 11 | Volt Information Sciences | $27,143 | $13.05 |
| 12 | Peoples Health | $27,141 | $13.05 |
| 13 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $27,062 | $13.01 |
| 14 | Iowa Department of Transportation | $27,041 | $13.00 |
| 15 | Robert Half | $27,018 | $12.99 |
| 16 | Exela Technologies | $26,949 | $12.96 |
| 17 | Partners Healthcare Solutions Inc | $26,838 | $12.90 |
| 18 | SeaWorld | $26,747 | $12.86 |
| 19 | THE RIGHT STAFF | $26,611 | $12.79 |
| 20 | State of West Virginia | $25,907 | $12.46 |
The average switchboard operator, receptionist salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $28,656 | $13.78 |
| 2 | Health Care | $28,275 | $13.59 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $28,118 | $13.52 |
| 4 | Professional | $27,412 | $13.18 |
| 5 | Insurance | $27,377 | $13.16 |
| 6 | Automotive | $27,155 | $13.06 |
| 7 | Retail | $26,638 | $12.81 |
| 8 | Real Estate | $26,267 | $12.63 |
The average switchboard operator, receptionist salary has risen by $5,033 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average switchboard operator, receptionist earned $20,856 annually, but today, they earn $25,889 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for switchboard operators, receptionist over the last decade.
Compare switchboard operator, receptionist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare switchboard operator, receptionist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $25,900 | $12.45 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $25,200 | $12.12 | +3.9% |
| 2023 | $24,200 | $11.65 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $23,600 | $11.37 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $23,100 | $11.10 | +2.1% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erickson Senior Living | Switchboard Operator/Receptionist | Peabody, MA | 06/20/2025 | $35,479 |
| Global Channel Management, Inc. | Operations Receptionist | Citrus Heights, CA | 06/10/2025 | $48,001 |
| Dexterra | Switchboard Operator/Receptionist & Duplication Machine Operator | Dallas, TX | 06/10/2025 | $35,896 |
| Kelly Services | Receptionist and Switchboard Operator | Canonsburg, PA | 05/09/2025 | $44,871 |
| Dexterra | Switchboard Operator/Receptionist & Duplication Machine Operator | Dallas, TX | 04/28/2025 | $35,896 |
| CMI Management | Switchboard Operator/Receptionist & Duplication Machine Operator | Dallas, TX | 04/25/2025 | $35,896 |
| Dexterra Group Inc. | Switchboard Operator/Receptionist & Duplication Machine Operator | Dallas, TX | 04/23/2025 | $35,896 |
| Primoris Services Corporation | Receptionist-ARB CA-Gas Operations | Vista, CA | 04/17/2025 | $37,566 |
| Primoris Services Corporation | Receptionist-Q3 Co-Gas Operations | Aurora, CO | 04/13/2025 | $41,740 |
| United Parks & Resorts Inc. | Park Operations Receptionist (Base Operator) | San Antonio, TX | 04/07/2025 | $20,870 |
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