Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary by City

Top 15 cities for this job by average salary

San Jose, CA	$73,450
San Francisco, CA	$61,160
Kahului, HI	$60,220
Honolulu, HI	$57,600
Stockton, CA	$57,560
Barnstable, MA	$54,840
Sacramento, CA	$53,540
Napa, CA	$53,060
Oxnard, CA	$52,840
Bend, OR	$52,830
Santa Rosa, CA	$52,410
Minneapolis, MN	$51,700
New York, NY	$51,680
Seattle, WA	$51,190
San Diego, CA	$49,660

Average annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025.

Map: Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salary by metro area

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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salary by state

State	Metros	Highest average	Lowest average
California	17	$73,450	$44,480
Hawaii	2	$60,220	$57,600
Massachusetts	4	$54,840	$41,300
Oregon	2	$52,830	$40,490
Minnesota	1	$51,700	$51,700
New York	7	$51,680	$39,150
Washington	2	$51,190	$45,100
Washington, D.C.	1	$46,910	$46,910
Wisconsin	3	$45,840	$39,850
Illinois	5	$45,230	$37,800
New Hampshire	1	$43,910	$43,910
Connecticut	2	$43,820	$42,410
New Mexico	1	$43,680	$43,680
Colorado	2	$43,640	$41,620
Indiana	1	$43,100	$43,100
Georgia	2	$42,480	$32,570
Arizona	2	$42,220	$40,160
Rhode Island	1	$41,700	$41,700
Iowa	1	$41,670	$41,670
North Carolina	5	$41,510	$37,790
Missouri	4	$41,070	$36,730
Pennsylvania	6	$41,060	$35,430
Kentucky	2	$40,840	$39,580
Michigan	2	$39,820	$39,390
Louisiana	8	$39,760	$34,420
Nebraska	2	$39,530	$37,270
Nevada	2	$39,360	$38,080
Kansas	1	$38,890	$38,890
Texas	11	$38,850	$28,360
Florida	11	$38,810	$34,450
Alaska	1	$38,660	$38,660
Ohio	5	$38,620	$34,620
Maryland	1	$38,370	$38,370
Delaware	1	$38,360	$38,360
Tennessee	4	$38,330	$34,510
South Carolina	4	$38,260	$33,470
West Virginia	1	$37,680	$37,680
Oklahoma	2	$37,180	$35,870
Virginia	2	$36,770	$36,740
Arkansas	1	$36,170	$36,170
Alabama	6	$35,210	$31,410
Mississippi	2	$34,720	$29,070
Puerto Rico	1	$28,560	$28,560

Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salary in every city we cover

Sort by any column. Each city links to its pay range, take-home pay and cost of living.

Metro area	Average	Median	Hourly	Jobs
San Jose, CA	$73,450	$79,260	$35.31	440
San Francisco, CA	$61,160	$61,780	$29.40	700
Kahului, HI	$60,220	$60,420	$28.95	70
Honolulu, HI	$57,600	$63,190	$27.69	240
Stockton, CA	$57,560	$59,360	$27.67	170
Barnstable, MA	$54,840	$57,030	$26.36	40
Sacramento, CA	$53,540	$47,380	$25.74	420
Napa, CA	$53,060	$49,460	$25.51	50
Oxnard, CA	$52,840	$49,840	$25.40	60
Bend, OR	$52,830	$48,880	$25.40	40
Santa Rosa, CA	$52,410	$46,330	$25.20	90
Minneapolis, MN	$51,700	$51,950	$24.86	110
New York, NY	$51,680	$47,350	$24.85	1,470
Seattle, WA	$51,190	$50,470	$24.61	190
San Diego, CA	$49,660	$46,080	$23.87	570
Los Angeles, CA	$49,520	$45,870	$23.81	2,110
Modesto, CA	$48,940	$44,320	$23.53	70
Salinas, CA	$48,480	$48,840	$23.31	90
Riverside, CA	$47,100	$44,130	$22.65	500
Washington, DC	$46,910	$45,750	$22.55	580
Boston, MA	$46,070	$45,760	$22.15	540
Santa Maria, CA	$45,880	$44,680	$22.06	80
Milwaukee, WI	$45,840	$42,190	$22.04	210
Fresno, CA	$45,730	$44,590	$21.99	150
Visalia, CA	$45,340	$44,330	$21.80	40
Chicago, IL	$45,230	$44,540	$21.74	860
Bakersfield, CA	$45,210	$42,710	$21.74	140
Spokane, WA	$45,100	$46,160	$21.68	90
Kiryas Joel, NY	$44,720	$44,550	$21.50	70
Merced, CA	$44,480	$44,190	$21.39	50
Manchester, NH	$43,910	$44,210	$21.11	40
Worcester, MA	$43,840	$44,050	$21.08	70
Hartford, CT	$43,820	$43,500	$21.07	80
Albuquerque, NM	$43,680	$39,640	$21.00	80
Denver, CO	$43,640	$44,980	$20.98	150
Buffalo, NY	$43,480	$41,330	$20.91	170
Madison, WI	$43,260	$40,630	$20.80	90
Syracuse, NY	$43,130	$44,510	$20.74	90
Indianapolis, IN	$43,100	$37,980	$20.72	110
Atlanta, GA	$42,480	$39,930	$20.42	280
New Haven, CT	$42,410	$37,650	$20.39	50
Phoenix, AZ	$42,220	$40,540	$20.30	230
Providence, RI	$41,700	$38,370	$20.05	250
Des Moines, IA	$41,670	$41,100	$20.03	30
Colorado Springs, CO	$41,620	$39,650	$20.01	80
Binghamton, NY	$41,570	$41,420	$19.98	40
Asheville, NC	$41,510	$40,590	$19.96	50
Springfield, MA	$41,300	$38,080	$19.85	60
Albany, NY	$41,170	$39,630	$19.79	90
Kansas City, MO	$41,070	$41,470	$19.75	200
Winston-Salem, NC	$41,070	$39,490	$19.75	60
Philadelphia, PA	$41,060	$38,410	$19.74	590
Louisville, KY	$40,840	$39,020	$19.64	110
Charlotte, NC	$40,620	$42,320	$19.53	160
Medford, OR	$40,490	$38,750	$19.47	40
Greensboro, NC	$40,370	$41,130	$19.41	90
Rockford, IL	$40,290	$39,660	$19.37	40
Tucson, AZ	$40,160	$37,970	$19.31	80
Peoria, IL	$39,960	$38,380	$19.21	40
Green Bay, WI	$39,850	$38,110	$19.16	70
Detroit, MI	$39,820	$37,470	$19.14	110
Springfield, IL	$39,820	$39,450	$19.14	50
Hammond, LA	$39,760	$37,480	$19.11	40
Harrisburg, PA	$39,590	$41,360	$19.03	60
Lexington, KY	$39,580	$38,150	$19.03	80
Omaha, NE	$39,530	$38,300	$19.01	70
Shreveport, LA	$39,420	$37,020	$18.95	120
Kalamazoo, MI	$39,390	$37,040	$18.94	40
Las Vegas, NV	$39,360	$38,190	$18.92	560
Rochester, NY	$39,150	$37,720	$18.82	70
Reading, PA	$39,060	$42,900	$18.78	30
Wichita, KS	$38,890	$39,200	$18.70	50
Austin, TX	$38,850	$36,550	$18.68	250
St. Louis, MO	$38,830	$37,870	$18.67	310
Lakeland, FL	$38,810	$36,570	$18.66	90
Anchorage, AK	$38,660	$37,690	$18.59	30
Cleveland, OH	$38,620	$37,460	$18.57	220
Lancaster, PA	$38,600	$39,290	$18.56	40
Baltimore, MD	$38,370	$36,260	$18.45	340
Dover, DE	$38,360	$41,900	$18.44	40
Alexandria, LA	$38,340	$37,990	$18.43	50
Baton Rouge, LA	$38,330	$38,540	$18.43	180
Nashville, TN	$38,330	$37,050	$18.43	240
Charleston, SC	$38,260	$36,890	$18.39	100
Dayton, OH	$38,240	$39,870	$18.39	60
Sarasota, FL	$38,220	$36,770	$18.38	90
Reno, NV	$38,080	$37,380	$18.31	70
Bloomington, IL	$37,800	$38,480	$18.17	30
Greenville, NC	$37,790	$37,990	$18.17	40
Pittsburgh, PA	$37,750	$39,910	$18.15	210
Huntington, WV	$37,680	$37,840	$18.12	50
Fort Myers, FL	$37,450	$35,290	$18.01	90
Columbia, MO	$37,300	$34,060	$17.93	40
Greenville, SC	$37,280	$35,760	$17.92	60
Lincoln, NE	$37,270	$36,830	$17.92	70
Tulsa, OK	$37,180	$36,050	$17.87	150
Memphis, TN	$37,030	$34,940	$17.80	110
Cincinnati, OH	$36,950	$37,690	$17.76	120
Tampa, FL	$36,940	$35,830	$17.76	350
Richmond, VA	$36,770	$36,740	$17.68	150
Virginia Beach, VA	$36,740	$36,180	$17.67	160
Springfield, MO	$36,730	$37,020	$17.66	40
Columbus, OH	$36,630	$35,170	$17.61	250
Orlando, FL	$36,590	$36,830	$17.59	400
Miami, FL	$36,570	$35,080	$17.58	1,270
New Orleans, LA	$36,540	$37,120	$17.57	230
Jacksonville, FL	$36,380	$36,490	$17.49	180
Little Rock, AR	$36,170	$35,650	$17.39	90
Deltona, FL	$35,960	$35,830	$17.29	70
Oklahoma City, OK	$35,870	$34,860	$17.24	150
Chattanooga, TN	$35,710	$35,770	$17.17	40
Lafayette, LA	$35,540	$35,890	$17.09	130
Pensacola, FL	$35,510	$35,820	$17.07	40
Scranton, PA	$35,430	$34,920	$17.03	40
Huntsville, AL	$35,210	$34,300	$16.93	60
Monroe, LA	$35,190	$35,070	$16.92	40
Birmingham, AL	$34,840	$33,690	$16.75	180
Houston, TX	$34,790	$34,330	$16.73	740
Ocala, FL	$34,790	$35,100	$16.73	40
Jackson, MS	$34,720	$32,320	$16.69	40
San Antonio, TX	$34,710	$33,320	$16.69	290
Akron, OH	$34,620	$36,350	$16.64	80
Knoxville, TN	$34,510	$35,360	$16.59	70
Palm Bay, FL	$34,450	$33,310	$16.56	40
Slidell, LA	$34,420	$37,110	$16.55	80
Tuscaloosa, AL	$34,310	$32,210	$16.49	40
Myrtle Beach, SC	$34,190	$34,560	$16.44	30
Dallas, TX	$34,030	$35,390	$16.36	1,200
Columbia, SC	$33,470	$32,890	$16.09	40
Columbus, GA	$32,570	$30,880	$15.66	30
Montgomery, AL	$32,280	$32,130	$15.52	60
Mobile, AL	$31,880	$30,970	$15.33	110
Killeen, TX	$31,550	$29,570	$15.17	50
Daphne, AL	$31,410	$30,160	$15.10	30
Lubbock, TX	$30,880	$29,180	$14.84	70
McAllen, TX	$30,500	$32,170	$14.67	40
El Paso, TX	$30,460	$27,510	$14.64	70
Corpus Christi, TX	$29,280	$29,380	$14.08	100
Gulfport, MS	$29,070	$28,430	$13.98	30
Brownsville, TX	$28,670	$28,760	$13.78	40
San Juan, PR	$28,560	$27,540	$13.73	480
Beaumont, TX	$28,360	$28,850	$13.63	60

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Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salary: questions

Where do switchboard operators, including answering service make the most money?

In San Jose, CA, with an average of $73,450 a year, among the 142 metro areas we cover.

What is the average switchboard operators, including answering service salary in the U.S.?

$42,858 a year across all U.S. metro areas, weighted by employment (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Where is switchboard operators, including answering service pay the lowest?

Beaumont, TX, at $28,360 a year on average. Lower pay often comes with lower prices: check the cost of living on each city page.

Sources and how to read this page

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 43-2011.
U.S. metro average: employment-weighted mean of every metro area in the OEWS file (not only the ones listed here).
Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.