CareerFacts

All careers › Telephone Operators

Phone operator: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$41,740median pay per year, or $20.07 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $31,510lowest 10% earn less
  2. $36,92025th percentile
  3. $41,740median
  4. $51,51075th percentile
  5. $62,950top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

A phone operator, which BLS calls a telephone operator, earned a median of $41,740 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to fall 27.6% from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-27.6%[2]
Openings per year
200[6]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[7]

How much do phone operators make?

The median wage for telephone operators was $41,740 a year, or $20.07 an hour[1]. That means half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The mean (average) wage was $44,970 a year, or $21.62 an hour[8].

For all occupations in the US, the median annual wage was $50,980[5]. So the typical phone operator earned less than the typical worker overall.

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31,510 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $36,920[4][9]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $51,510, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $62,950[4]. In hourly terms, those four boundaries were $15.15, $17.75, $24.76 and $30.27[10]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[9].

These figures cover wage and salary workers, full-time and part-time. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not count bonuses or the cost of benefits[11].

Measure Annual wage Source
10th percentile[4] $31,510
25th percentile[4] $36,920
Median[1] $41,740
75th percentile[4] $51,510
90th percentile[4] $62,950

Pay by state and city

BLS published state wages for 15 states and DC[12]. California had the highest median at $57,170, followed by New York at $50,220 and the District of Columbia at $49,330[12]. Louisiana was lowest in that list at $31,400[12].

Texas had the most jobs with 280, then California with 230, Ohio with 220, New Jersey with 190 and South Carolina with 170[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim paid the most at $58,900[14]. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington came next at $45,000, then Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos at $44,980[14]. Philadelphia had the most jobs of any metro area, at 140[15].

Show median pay in 15 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
California[12]$57,170230
New York$50,220n/a
District of Columbia$49,33050
Massachusetts$47,940n/a
Wisconsin$46,59060
Maryland$42,460110
Virginia$42,350n/a
New Jersey$41,960190
Texas$41,250280
North Carolina$40,36040
Michigan$37,55080
Oklahoma$37,32040
Florida$37,18070
Ohio$36,970220
Georgia$36,920160
Louisiana$31,40050

How to become a phone operator

The path in is short, according to BLS:

In an ONET survey of 19 workers, 98% said a high school diploma or the equivalent is the education level required[16]. ONET places the job in a zone for occupations needing very little to some preparation[17]. The facts do not say how many weeks the training lasts, and they do not list a license.

What phone operators do

Phone operators help people find information and connect calls[18]. Typical tasks include:

O*NET lists job titles that include directory assistance operator, PBX operator and long distance operator[20].

Job outlook

BLS projects that telephone operator employment will fall 27.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 3,500 jobs to 2,500[2]. For all occupations, the projection is growth of 3.5%[3]. BLS ties the decline to companies adopting automated phone systems[21].

Jobs will still open. BLS expects about 200 openings a year on average, and that count includes spots left by people who retire or switch jobs, as well as new ones[6]. Each year, 4.6% of workers leave the labor force and 4.9% move to a different occupation[22].

The job is small. BLS counted about 3,430 wage and salary jobs in May 2025[23]. The projection count is a different measure and includes self-employed workers[2].

Is it a good fit?

The entry bar is low: a high school diploma, no related experience and short training[7]. Pay is below the all-occupations median, though the top 10% earned more than $62,950[5][4]. The big caution is the outlook. A projected 27.6% decline is steep next to 3.5% growth for all jobs[2][3]. Readers who like helping people find information may find the work a fit, but should weigh how few jobs exist[23][19]. O*NET lists related jobs such as public safety telecommunicators, with a projected change of +3.7% and a median of $53,040[24].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a phone operator make an hour?
The median was $20.07 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $21.62[1][8].
What education do you need to be a phone operator?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent, with no related experience and short-term on-the-job training[7].
Is phone operator a growing job?
No. BLS projects a 27.6% decline from 2025 to 2035, with about 200 openings a year[2][6].
Which state pays phone operators the most?
California had the highest median at $57,170[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Telephone Operators in the US was $41,740 per year and $20.07 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Telephone Operators is projected to decline 27.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 3,500 to 2,500 jobs (a change of -1,000). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Telephone Operators: 10th percentile $31,510, 25th percentile $36,920, 75th percentile $51,510, 90th percentile $62,950. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 200 openings for Telephone Operators are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Telephone Operators: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Telephone Operators was $44,970 per year and $21.62 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Telephone Operators: 10th percentile $15.15, 25th percentile $17.75, 75th percentile $24.76, 90th percentile $30.27. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Telephone Operators in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Telephone Operators jobs: Texas 280; California 230; Ohio 220; New Jersey 190; South Carolina 170. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Telephone Operators (areas with at least 100 jobs): Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $58,900; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $45,000; Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $44,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Telephone Operators jobs: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 140 (median $45,000); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 110 (median $58,900); Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 100 (median $44,980); Charleston-North Charleston, SC 90; Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 80 (median $42,460); Cleveland, OH 70 (median $39,570). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 43-2021.00 survey of workers (19 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 98% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET 43-2021.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET description of Telephone Operators. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Telephone Operators. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET 43-2021.00 sample job titles reported by workers: 411 Directory Assistance Operator (411 Directory Assistance Op), Directory Assistance Operator (Directory Assistance Op), Information Specialist, Live Source Operator (Live Source Op), Long Distance Operator (LD Operator), PBX Operator (Post Box Exchange Operator), Phone Operator (Telephone Operator), Phone Secretary (Telephone Secretary). O*NET OnLine
  21. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Telephone Operators: Capital/labor substitution - share decreases as companies continue to adopt automated phone systems. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Telephone Operators: 4.6% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.9% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 3,430 people were employed as Telephone Operators in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  24. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.