Occupation salary profile

Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service

SOC 43-2011 BLS OEWS May 2025

Operate telephone business systems equipment or switchboards to relay incoming, outgoing, and interoffice calls. May supply information to callers and record messages.

National median · BLS
$38,630
▲ +0.68% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$42,300
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
34,280
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$29,990
25th$34,820
Median (50th)$38,630
75th$46,530
90th — top pay$59,470

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service

BLS projects employment of switchboard operators, including answering service to decline 26% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%. About 3,100 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
35,400 → 26,200
-9,200 jobs
Projected change
-26%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
3,100
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
1.6% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-declining jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Active Listening4.0
  • Speaking3.9
  • Social Perceptiveness3.5
  • Service Orientation3.1
  • Coordination3.0
  • Reading Comprehension3.0
  • Monitoring2.9
  • Critical Thinking2.8
  • Time Management2.8
  • Writing2.8
Top knowledge areas
  • Customer and Personal Service4.3
  • English Language3.9
  • Administrative3.7
  • Computers and Electronics3.5
  • Telecommunications3.3
  • Administration and Management2.8
  • Communications and Media2.7
  • Public Safety and Security2.5
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordSAP softwareIBM NotesM-Tech Hotel Service Optimization System HotSOS

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: 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.

About the job

What switchboard operators, including answering service do

  • Operate communication systems, such as telephone, switchboard, intercom, two-way radio, or public address.
  • Answer incoming calls, greeting callers, providing information, transferring calls or taking messages as necessary.
  • Greet visitors, log them in and out of the facility, assign them security badges, and contact employee escorts.
  • Monitor emergency and code alarms, make emergency announcements, or route emergency calls to the appropriate location.
  • Record messages, suggesting rewording for clarity or conciseness.
  • Page individuals to inform them of telephone calls, using paging or interoffice communication equipment.
  • Relay or route written or verbal messages.
  • Perform various cash handling tasks, such as collecting payments, making bank deposits, or managing petty cash.
Also called
CBX Operator (Computerized Branch Exchange Operator)Communications SpecialistPBX Operator (Private Branch Exchange Operator)Switchboard Operator (SB Operator)Central Communications SpecialistCommunications OperatorInformation SpecialistSwitchboard Receptionist (SB Receptionist)Telecommunications ClerkTelecommunications Operator
More job titles for this occupation (26)
Answering Service Telephone OperatorCombination OperatorCommand and Control SpecialistCommunication Center OperatorCommunications CoordinatorComplaint OperatorDesk OperatorExchange OperatorLine TechnicianOperatorPBX Service Adviser (Private Branch Exchange Service Adviser)Police Communications OperatorPolice District Switchboard Operator (Police District SB Operator)Private Branch Exchange Switchboard Operator (PBX Switchboard Operator)Route ClerkService OperatorSwitch TechnicianSwitching ClerkTandem OperatorTelegraph Office Telephone ClerkTelephone Answering Service OperatorTelephone Service Representative (Telephone Service Rep)Telephone Switchboard Operator (Telephone SB Operator)Test OperatorThrough OperatorTraffic Operator

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.