Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Telephone operators handle calls and related communications work while drawing on strong customer service, communication, and detail-oriented skills. Nationally, this is a relatively small occupation, with 4,000 workers and a national median annual salary of $39,130. The role relies on abilities such as speaking and listening, interpersonal skills, comfort with computers and information technology, and careful attention to detail. Physical strength and stamina, fine motor skills, and mechanical aptitude can also be part of the overall skill profile. The typical education level is a high school diploma or equivalent, making this a career that is accessible without a college degree. However, projected employment growth is -27.5%, and there are 0 annual openings projected, signaling limited future demand. People exploring this path may also want to consider related occupations such as communications equipment operators, switchboard operators, receptionists and information clerks, telemarketers, or secretaries and administrative assistants.
Telephone operators earn a national median annual salary of $39,130, but pay varies meaningfully by location. Among the top states by opportunity score, California stands out with a median salary of $57,170, well above the national median for this occupation. New Jersey and Maryland also offer higher pay levels, at $41,960 and $42,460 respectively, with Texas close behind at $41,250. Ohio is below these states at $36,970. At the metro level, Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, CA shows the highest median salary at $58,900, and Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV pays $47,410. Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD reports $45,000, while Baltimore–Columbia–Towson, MD and Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell, GA offer $42,460 and $40,400. Overall, workers focused on maximizing earnings potential may find the strongest pay in specific metros and in California in particular.
The employment outlook for telephone operators is clearly declining based on the available data. National employment stands at 4,000, and projected employment growth is -27.5%. In addition, projected annual openings are 0. Together, these figures point to a shrinking occupation with very limited new positions expected over the projection period. This pattern appears consistently across the highlighted states and metro areas, all of which also show the same -27.5% projected growth rate. For someone considering this field, the data suggests that long-term opportunities may be constrained, and existing jobs may gradually become less numerous. Job seekers who are interested in similar work environments or skill sets may want to compare this path with related roles such as communications equipment operators (all other), switchboard operators, receptionists and information clerks, telemarketers, or secretaries and administrative assistants, which may offer different employment trends.
Location makes a noticeable difference for telephone operators, especially in pay and the distribution of jobs. Among states, California combines the highest median salary at $57,170 with the largest listed employment of 230 and the highest opportunity score of 67.38. Texas and Ohio show higher employment counts (280 and 220) than Maryland and New Jersey, but offer lower median salaries than California. Maryland and New Jersey sit in the middle, with salaries in the low $40,000s and moderate employment levels. All five states show the same -27.5% growth rate, so the main differences lie in pay, employment size, and opportunity scores. At the metro level, Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, CA offers the highest median salary at $58,900, while Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV leads in opportunity score at 64.47. Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington, Baltimore–Columbia–Towson, and Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell provide additional options with varying balances of salary, employment, and opportunity scores.
Telephone operator roles typically require a high school diploma or equivalent, so formal postsecondary education is not a standard entry requirement. Success in this occupation instead depends heavily on the skill profile. Key abilities include strong customer service skills and clear speaking and listening, which support effective interactions with callers and colleagues. Interpersonal skills help manage varied conversations, while comfort with computers and information technology is important for working with communication systems and related tools. Being detail oriented supports accuracy, and writing and reading skills contribute to handling information correctly. The occupation also highlights fine motor skills, physical strength and stamina, and mechanical abilities, indicating that some positions may involve manual or equipment-related tasks. Because the educational threshold is relatively low, focusing on building and demonstrating these skills can be especially important for standing out to employers or for transitioning into related careers such as switchboard operators, receptionists, or other administrative roles.
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