Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service pay range in Knoxville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,030 a year or less, while the top 10% make $38,370 or more. The middle half of switchboard operators, including answering service in Knoxville earn between $30,510 and $36,920.
- $28K10th
- $31K25th
- $35KMedian
- $37K75th
- $38K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $34,510 | $2,876 | $16.59 |
| Median | $35,360 | $2,947 | $17.00 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $30,510 | $2,542 | $14.67 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $36,920 | $3,077 | $17.75 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salary after taxes in Knoxville
On the average salary of $34,510, a single filer in Knoxville takes home about $29,909 a year, or $2,492 a month and $1,150 every two weeks. Taxes take 13% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Knoxville a good place for switchboard operators, including answering service? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Knoxville area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.6), so the average $34,510 buys what about $37,280 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Knoxville ($47,080). A typical home costs $367,158, or 10.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salary in other Tennessee cities
Knoxville ranks 4th of 4 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Nashville pays the most ($38,330).
- Nashville$38,330
- Memphis$37,030
- Chattanooga$35,710
- Knoxville$34,510
All Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salaries in Tennessee
Highest-paying cities for switchboard operators, including answering service
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($73,450).
- San Jose, CA$73,450
- San Francisco, CA$61,160
- Kahului, HI$60,220
- Honolulu, HI$57,600
- Stockton, CA$57,560
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salary by city
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Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salary in Knoxville: questions
How much do switchboard operators, including answering service make an hour in Knoxville?
$16.59 an hour on average, and $17.00 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level switchboard operators, including answering service salary in Knoxville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,030 a year and the 25th percentile is $30,510, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the switchboard operators, including answering service take-home pay in Knoxville?
About $29,909 a year ($2,492 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $34,510. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do switchboard operators, including answering service earn more in Knoxville than elsewhere?
The average here is 19% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($42,858).
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; area Knoxville, TN (28940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.0%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.75, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.75).
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