Customer Service Representatives Career, Salary and Skills
Customer Service Representatives have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $44,770 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 2,595,750. Wage data is published for 446 locations.
Occupation description
Interact with customers to provide basic or scripted information in response to routine inquiries about products and services. May handle and resolve general complaints. Excludes individuals whose duties are primarily installation, sales, repair, and technical support.
O*NET code
43-4051.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
National salary and employment
Median annual
$44,770
Hourly median
$21.53
Employment
2,595,750
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Service Orientation | 4.00 | 3.62 |
| Active Listening | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Speaking | 3.88 | 3.75 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.38 | 3.12 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.25 | 3.50 |
| Time Management | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Monitoring | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Writing | 3.00 | 3.00 |
Typical tasks
- Confer with customers by telephone or in person to provide information about products or services, take or enter orders, cancel accounts, or obtain details of complaints.
- Keep records of customer interactions or transactions, recording details of inquiries, complaints, or comments, as well as actions taken.
- Check to ensure that appropriate changes were made to resolve customers' problems.
- Contact customers to respond to inquiries or to notify them of claim investigation results or any planned adjustments.
- Determine charges for services requested, collect deposits or payments, or arrange for billing.
- Complete contract forms, prepare change of address records, or issue service discontinuance orders, using computers.
- Refer unresolved customer grievances to designated departments for further investigation.
- Resolve customers' service or billing complaints by performing activities such as exchanging merchandise, refunding money, or adjusting bills.
Technology
- Active Data Online WebChat
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
- ADP Workforce Now
- Airtable
- Apple Keynote
- Apple macOS
- Applied Systems Vision
- AS/400 Database
- Astute Solutions PowerCenter
- Austin Logistics CallSelect
- Austin Logistics CallTech
Customer Service Representatives salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Customer Service Representatives Salary in TXMedian $40,420 · Employment 337,170
- Customer Service Representatives Salary in FLMedian $40,440 · Employment 228,000
- Customer Service Representatives Salary in CAMedian $49,560 · Employment 176,850
- Customer Service Representatives Salary in NYMedian $48,000 · Employment 141,090
- Customer Service Representatives Salary in New York, NYMedian $49,590 · Employment 125,570
- Customer Service Representatives Salary in ILMedian $46,130 · Employment 100,970
- Customer Service Representatives Salary in GAMedian $39,630 · Employment 97,850
- Customer Service Representatives Salary in Dallas, TXMedian $44,990 · Employment 96,930
- Customer Service Representatives Salary in PAMedian $44,630 · Employment 94,340
- Customer Service Representatives Salary in NCMedian $40,240 · Employment 89,510
- Customer Service Representatives Salary in AZMedian $45,690 · Employment 87,020
- Customer Service Representatives Salary in OHMedian $45,610 · Employment 85,930
Related careers
- CashiersNational median $32,880
- TellersNational median $43,030
- Management AnalystsNational median $101,860
- Correspondence ClerksNational median $46,800
- Insurance Sales AgentsNational median $62,280
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsNational median $54,210
- Office Clerks, GeneralNational median $45,010
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersNational median $69,500
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.