Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Career, Salary and Skills
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $38,630 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 34,280. Wage data is published for 189 locations.
Occupation description
Operate telephone business systems equipment or switchboards to relay incoming, outgoing, and interoffice calls. May supply information to callers and record messages.
O*NET code
43-2011.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$38,630
Hourly median
$18.57
Employment
34,280
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.00 | 3.00 |
| Speaking | 3.88 | 2.88 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.50 | 3.00 |
| Service Orientation | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Coordination | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Monitoring | 2.88 | 2.50 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Writing | 2.75 | 2.38 |
| Time Management | 2.75 | 2.25 |
Typical tasks
- Answer incoming calls, greeting callers, providing information, transferring calls or taking messages as necessary.
- Greet visitors, log them in and out of the facility, assign them security badges, and contact employee escorts.
- Monitor emergency and code alarms, make emergency announcements, or route emergency calls to the appropriate location.
- Record messages, suggesting rewording for clarity or conciseness.
- Page individuals to inform them of telephone calls, using paging or interoffice communication equipment.
- Relay or route written or verbal messages.
- Perform various cash handling tasks, such as collecting payments, making bank deposits, or managing petty cash.
- Operate communication systems, such as telephone, switchboard, intercom, two-way radio, or public address.
Technology
- IBM Notes
- M-Tech Hotel Service Optimization System HotSOS
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Word
- SAP software
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary in CAMedian $48,840 · Employment 6,680
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary in TXMedian $33,620 · Employment 3,640
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary in FLMedian $35,410 · Employment 3,090
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $45,870 · Employment 2,110
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary in NYMedian $45,330 · Employment 1,760
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary in New York, NYMedian $47,350 · Employment 1,470
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary in PAMedian $36,890 · Employment 1,350
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary in Miami, FLMedian $35,080 · Employment 1,270
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary in ILMedian $42,660 · Employment 1,240
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary in Dallas, TXMedian $35,390 · Employment 1,200
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary in OHMedian $36,350 · Employment 990
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $44,540 · Employment 860
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- Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal ServiceNational median $39,280
- Telecommunications Engineering SpecialistsNational median $134,050
- Word Processors and TypistsNational median $49,280
- Postal Service ClerksNational median $62,130
- Data Entry KeyersNational median $41,340
- Brokerage ClerksNational median $65,750
- Administrative Services ManagersNational median $114,130
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.