Telephone switchboard operator demographics and statistics in the US
Telephone switchboard operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates telephone switchboard operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our telephone switchboard 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 telephone switchboard operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 23,817 telephone switchboard operators currently employed in the United States.
- 84.3% of all telephone switchboard operators are women, while 15.7% are men.
- The average telephone switchboard operator age is 53 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of telephone switchboard operators is White (60.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.9%), Black or African American (14.7%) and Asian (4.1%).
- In 2022, women earned 99% of what men earned.
- 19% of all telephone switchboard operators are LGBT.
- Telephone switchboard operators are 51% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
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Telephone switchboard operator demographics by:
Telephone switchboard operator gender statistics
84.3% of telephone switchboard operators are women and 15.7% of telephone switchboard operators are men.
- Female, 84.3%
- Male, 15.7%
Telephone switchboard operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 84.3% |
| Male | 15.7% |
Telephone switchboard operator gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$31,489
Female income
$31,043
Telephone switchboard operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in telephone switchboard operator positions over time. Currently, 84.3% of telephone switchboard operators are female.
Telephone switchboard operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 17.86% | 82.14% |
| 2011 | 19.13% | 80.87% |
| 2012 | 18.00% | 82.00% |
| 2013 | 20.53% | 79.47% |
| 2014 | 18.10% | 81.90% |
| 2015 | 20.08% | 79.92% |
| 2016 | 22.38% | 77.62% |
| 2017 | 18.63% | 81.37% |
| 2018 | 17.86% | 82.14% |
| 2019 | 26.69% | 73.31% |
| 2020 | 28.42% | 71.58% |
| 2021 | 15.65% | 84.35% |
Telephone switchboard operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared telephone switchboard 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% |
| Telephone Switchboard Operator | 16% | 84% |
| 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%
Telephone switchboard operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among telephone switchboard operators is White, which makes up 60.5% of all telephone switchboard operators. Comparatively, 15.9% of telephone switchboard operators are Hispanic or Latino and 14.7% of telephone switchboard operators are Black or African American.
- White, 60.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 15.9%
- Black or African American, 14.7%
- Asian, 4.1%
- Unknown, 3.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
Telephone switchboard operator race
| Telephone switchboard operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 60.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 15.9% |
| Black or African American | 14.7% |
| Asian | 4.1% |
| Unknown | 3.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.2% |
Telephone switchboard operator race and ethnicity over time
See how telephone switchboard operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Telephone switchboard operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.76% | 13.37% | 3.16% | 15.67% |
| 2011 | 62.28% | 13.59% | 5.72% | 16.32% |
| 2012 | 61.73% | 17.02% | 3.32% | 13.66% |
| 2013 | 63.51% | 15.91% | 2.79% | 15.44% |
| 2014 | 62.16% | 13.21% | 4.01% | 17.17% |
| 2015 | 61.69% | 14.73% | 5.66% | 15.64% |
| 2016 | 59.18% | 14.39% | 4.17% | 18.82% |
| 2017 | 63.84% | 16.58% | 3.78% | 11.44% |
| 2018 | 64.67% | 13.82% | 4.09% | 14.64% |
| 2019 | 58.78% | 17.68% | 4.95% | 14.96% |
| 2020 | 53.89% | 15.62% | 3.97% | 18.93% |
| 2021 | 60.52% | 14.69% | 4.09% | 15.92% |
Telephone switchboard operator wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino telephone switchboard operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american telephone switchboard operators have the lowest average salary at $30,992.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $31,315 |
| White | $31,499 |
| Black or African American | $30,992 |
| Asian | $31,584 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $32,066 |
Average telephone switchboard operator age
See how the average age of telephone switchboard operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Telephone switchboard operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| White | 59 | |
| Black or African American | 53 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 51 |
Telephone switchboard operator age breakdown
The average age of telephone switchboard operators is 40+ years years old, representing 82% of the telephone switchboard operator population.
Telephone switchboard operator age breakdown
| Telephone Switchboard Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 82% |
| 30-40 years | 12% |
| 20-30 years | 6% |
Telephone switchboard operator educational attainment
The most common degree for telephone switchboard operators is high school diploma, with 32% of telephone switchboard operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 28% and bachelor's degree degree at 28%.
- High School Diploma, 32%
- Bachelor's, 28%
- Associate, 28%
- Diploma, 10%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Telephone switchboard operators by degree level
| Telephone switchboard operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 32% |
| Bachelor's | 28% |
| Associate | 28% |
| Diploma | 10% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Telephone switchboard operator jobs you might like
Telephone switchboard operator employment statistics
Most telephone switchboard operators work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where telephone switchboard operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where telephone switchboard operators work.
Telephone switchboard operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 11% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 18% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 24% |
| > 10,000 employees | 32% |
Telephone switchboard operator jobs by company type
Employees with the telephone switchboard operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most telephone switchboard operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Telephone switchboard operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 17% |
| Public | 25% |
| Private | 51% |
| Government | 8% |
Telephone switchboard operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for telephone switchboard operators are health care, education and professional.
Telephone switchboard operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 29% |
| Education | 12% |
| Professional | 10% |
| Finance | 7% |
| Retail | 7% |
| Government | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Telephone switchboard operator turnover and employment statistics
Telephone switchboard operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for telephone switchboard operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Telephone switchboard operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Telephone switchboard 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 telephone switchboard operator tenure
The average telephone switchboard operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 137 telephone switchboard operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Telephone switchboard operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 17% |
| 1-2 years | 38% |
| 3-4 years | 17% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 14% |
Telephone switchboard operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of telephone switchboard 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Call Taker | 6.75% | 11,539 |
| Finance Coordinator | 6.76% | 106,187 |
| Executive Assistant To Executive Director | 7.79% | 35,370 |
| Postal Clerk | 8.68% | 93,101 |
| Loan Specialist | 9.31% | 29,041 |
| Directory Operator | 10.75% | 29,944 |
| Telephone Switchboard Operator | 19.13% | - |
Similar telephone switchboard operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Call Taker | 6.75% | 11,539 |
| Finance Coordinator | 6.76% | 106,187 |
| Executive Assistant To Executive Director | 7.79% | 35,370 |
| Postal Clerk | 8.68% | 93,101 |
| Loan Specialist | 9.31% | 29,041 |
| Directory Operator | 10.75% | 29,944 |
Foreign languages spoken by telephone switchboard operators
The most common foreign language among telephone switchboard operators is Spanish at 40.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Hungarian at 10.0% and Vietnamese is the third-most popular at 10.0%.
- Spanish, 40.0%
- Hungarian, 10.0%
- Vietnamese, 10.0%
- German, 10.0%
- Japanese, 10.0%
- Other, 20.0%
Telephone switchboard operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 40.0% |
| Hungarian | 10.0% |
| Vietnamese | 10.0% |
| German | 10.0% |
| Japanese | 10.0% |
| Other | 20.0% |
