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Telephone operator salary
Average telephone operator salary
$14.98
Understanding Telephone Operator Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a telephone operator in the United States stands at $31,168 per year or $14.98 per hour. However, this figure can differ based on several factors, including geographic location, industry, and years of experience. For instance, operators in high-demand states such as California and New York often see higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for skilled operators.
Salary by State
Specific states offer varying compensation levels for telephone operators. In states like Washington and Massachusetts, operators can earn significantly more, reflecting the local job market and economic conditions. It is essential for job seekers to research these aspects to identify regions with the best opportunities.
Highest Paying Industries
Industries such as telecommunications, healthcare, and finance tend to offer higher salaries for telephone operators. Those who specialize in customer service or technical support roles within these fields may command even greater compensation. Understanding these dynamics can aid candidates in making informed career choices.
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Where can a Telephone Operator earn more?
Telephone operator salary estimates from across the web
Average telephone operator salary by state
The average telephone operator salary in Minnesota, Vermont, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average telephone operator salary states are Alabama, Indiana, and Florida.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for telephone operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $36,055 | $17.33 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $36,294 | $17.45 |
| 3 | Vermont | $36,737 | $17.66 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $36,319 | $17.46 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $36,815 | $17.70 |
| 6 | South Dakota | $33,676 | $16.19 |
| 7 | Wyoming | $35,754 | $17.19 |
| 8 | Nevada | $34,344 | $16.51 |
| 9 | Iowa | $33,786 | $16.24 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $36,580 | $17.59 |
| 11 | New York | $36,706 | $17.65 |
| 12 | Kansas | $32,465 | $15.61 |
| 13 | Delaware | $33,227 | $15.97 |
| 14 | Virginia | $33,402 | $16.06 |
| 15 | Montana | $35,252 | $16.95 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $35,623 | $17.13 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $32,789 | $15.76 |
| 18 | Illinois | $33,684 | $16.19 |
| 19 | Oregon | $33,095 | $15.91 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $30,568 | $14.70 |
| 21 | Alaska | $31,162 | $14.98 |
| 22 | Michigan | $31,614 | $15.20 |
| 23 | Maryland | $32,614 | $15.68 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $32,264 | $15.51 |
| 25 | Ohio | $32,072 | $15.42 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $32,079 | $15.42 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $31,329 | $15.06 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $29,276 | $14.07 |
| 29 | Maine | $30,455 | $14.64 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $29,944 | $14.40 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $29,653 | $14.26 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $30,960 | $14.88 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $28,127 | $13.52 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $29,526 | $14.20 |
| 35 | Washington | $31,306 | $15.05 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $29,684 | $14.27 |
| 37 | Colorado | $31,356 | $15.07 |
| 38 | California | $30,101 | $14.47 |
| 39 | Idaho | $29,645 | $14.25 |
| 40 | Arizona | $27,184 | $13.07 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $28,170 | $13.54 |
| 42 | Indiana | $26,045 | $12.52 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $28,395 | $13.65 |
| 44 | Florida | $25,168 | $12.10 |
| 45 | Georgia | $27,702 | $13.32 |
| 46 | Texas | $28,556 | $13.73 |
| 47 | Alabama | $26,054 | $12.53 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $24,859 | $11.95 |
| 49 | Missouri | $23,838 | $11.46 |
| 50 | Utah | $26,200 | $12.60 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $23,013 | $11.06 |
Highest paying cities for telephone operators
The highest-paying cities for telephone operators are Rochester, NY, Minneapolis, MN, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rochester, NY | $37,592 | $18.07 |
| 2 | Minneapolis, MN | $36,832 | $17.71 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $36,386 | $17.49 |
| 4 | Neptune, NJ | $36,083 | $17.35 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $33,816 | $16.26 |
| 6 | Cleveland, OH | $33,159 | $15.94 |
| 7 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $32,848 | $15.79 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $32,768 | $15.75 |
| 9 | San Francisco, CA | $31,626 | $15.20 |
| 10 | Lakewood, CO | $31,377 | $15.09 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $29,708 | $14.28 |
| 12 | La Crosse, WI | $29,416 | $14.14 |
| 13 | Odessa, TX | $29,014 | $13.95 |
| 14 | Atlanta, GA | $27,745 | $13.34 |
| 15 | Phoenix, AZ | $27,237 | $13.09 |
| 16 | Salt Lake City, UT | $26,253 | $12.62 |
| 17 | Dothan, AL | $25,846 | $12.43 |
| 18 | Jacksonville, FL | $25,595 | $12.31 |
| 19 | Columbia, MO | $23,879 | $11.48 |
Telephone operator salary details
A telephone operator's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $38,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a telephone operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 75th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| Average | $31,168 | $2,597 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Highest paying telephone operator jobs
The highest paying types of telephone operators are rate quoting operator, live source operator, and central office operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communications Operator | $31,491 | $2,624 | $15.14 | 48,509 |
| Switchboard Operator | $31,281 | $2,607 | $15.04 | 39,152 |
| Call Center Operator | $31,022 | $2,585 | $14.91 | 215,083 |
| PBX Operator | $29,942 | $2,495 | $14.40 | 30,866 |
| Operator | $37,928 | $3,161 | $18.23 | 159,077 |
| Service Operator | $36,971 | $3,081 | $17.77 | 87,078 |
Top companies hiring telephone operators now:
Which companies pay telephone operators the most?
Telephone operator salaries at Mount Auburn Hospital and Washington State University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average telephone operator salary at companies like Gastro Health and Mayo Clinic are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Auburn Hospital | $43,700 | $21.01 |
| 2 | Washington State University | $40,010 | $19.24 |
| 3 | Gastro Health | $39,809 | $19.14 |
| 4 | Mayo Clinic | $36,217 | $17.41 |
| 5 | Monroe County | $35,906 | $17.26 |
| 6 | Hawaii Pacific Health | $35,273 | $16.96 |
| 7 | Catholic Health East | $34,161 | $16.42 |
| 8 | Hilton Grand Vacations | $34,102 | $16.40 |
| 9 | The Brooklyn Hospital Center | $34,016 | $16.35 |
| 10 | Highmark | $33,915 | $16.31 |
| 11 | Premier Inc. | $33,800 | $16.25 |
| 12 | University of Rochester | $33,620 | $16.16 |
| 13 | Saint Luke's Health System | $33,572 | $16.14 |
| 14 | Radisson Hotels International Inc | $33,517 | $16.11 |
| 15 | Hyatt Hotels | $33,447 | $16.08 |
| 16 | CTG | $33,050 | $15.89 |
| 17 | Mount Sinai Health System | $32,989 | $15.86 |
| 18 | US Oncology Holdings Inc | $32,483 | $15.62 |
| 19 | Dignity Health | $32,477 | $15.61 |
| 20 | Epic Care - Partners in Cancer Care | $32,001 | $15.39 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Telephone Operator salary by industry
The average telephone operator salary varies across industries:
- The average telephone operator salary in the telecommunication industry is $33,850, the highest of any industry.
- The average telephone operator salary in the finance industry is $33,233.
- Telephone operators in the health care industry earn an average salary of $30,376, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for telephone operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Telecommunication | $33,850 | $16.27 |
| 2 | Government | $33,233 | $15.98 |
| 3 | Hospitality | $30,878 | $14.85 |
| 4 | Retail | $30,547 | $14.69 |
| 5 | Health Care | $30,376 | $14.60 |
High paying telephone operator jobs
Telephone operator salary trends
The average telephone operator salary has risen by $4,116 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average telephone operator earned $27,052 annually, but today, they earn $31,168 a year. That works out to a 2% change in pay for telephone operators over the last decade.
Compare telephone operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average telephone operator salary over time
Compare telephone operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Telephone operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $31,200 | $14.98 | +5.2% |
| 2025 | $29,500 | $14.21 | -4.2% |
| 2024 | $30,800 | $14.80 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $30,000 | $14.43 | -1.9% |
| 2022 | $30,600 | $14.70 | +3.0% |
Recently added telephone operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marriott International | Telephone Operator | Newport Beach, CA | 06/29/2025 | $48,001 |
| Hyatt Hotels Corp | PBX-Telephone Operator | Chicago, IL | 06/28/2025 | $54,262 |
| Sitio de Experiencia de Candidatos | Telephone Operator | Newport Beach, CA | 06/27/2025 | $48,001 |
| CTG | Telephone Operator | Chicago, IL | 06/26/2025 | $40,697 |
| Hyatt Hotels Corp | PBX-Telephone Operator | Orange, CA | 06/26/2025 | $49,566 |
| Northwell Health | Telephone Operator | Bay Shore, NY | 06/26/2025 | $51,257 |
| Us Oncology, Inc. | Telephone Operator | Chicago Ridge, IL | 06/26/2025 | $31,305 |
| Salinas Valley Health | Telephone Operator | Salinas, CA | 06/20/2025 | $53,177 |
| Rehab Hospital of In | Telephone Operator II | Urban Honolulu, HI | 06/09/2025 | $33,935 |
| State of New York | Telephone Operator | Albany, NY | 06/05/2025 | $30,000 |
Telephone operator salary FAQs
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