Telephone operators
May 2005 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers
Telephone Operators: Provide information by accessing alphabetical and geographical directories. Assist customers with special billing requests, such as charges to a third party and credits or refunds for incorrectly dialed numbers or bad connections. May handle emergency calls and assist children or people with physical disabilities to make telephone calls.
Communications equipment operators held about 256,000 jobs in 2004. About 4 out of 5 worked as switchboard operators. Employment was distributed as follows:
| Switchboard operators, including answering service | 213,000 |
| Telephone operators | 39,000 |
| All other communications equipment operators | 4,200 |
Switchboard operators work in almost all industries, but are concentrated in telephone call centers, hospitals, and hotels. Many work as temporary employees in the employment services industry.
Median hourly earnings of switchboard operators, including answering service, were $10.38 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $8.69 and $12.64. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $7.35, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $15.13. Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of switchboard operators in May 2004 are:
| Offices of physicians | $10.54 |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 10.47 |
| Traveler accommodation | 10.25 |
| Automobile dealers | 9.60 |
| Business support services | 8.91 |
Median hourly earnings of telephone operators in May 2004 were $13.65. The middle 50 percent earned between $10.28 and $19.32. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $8.91, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $21.32.
Some telephone operators working at telephone companies are members of the Communications Workers of America or the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. For these operators, union contracts govern wage rates, wage increases, and the time required to advance from one pay step to the next. It normally takes 4 years to rise from the lowest paying nonsupervisory operator position to the highest. Contracts call for extra pay for work beyond the normal 6-1/2 to 7-1/2 hours a day or 5 days a week, for Sunday and holiday work, and for bilingual positions. A pay differential also is guaranteed for night work and split shifts. Many contracts provide for a 1-week vacation after 6 months of service, 2 weeks after 1 year, 3 weeks after 7 years, 4 weeks after 15 years, and 5 weeks after 25 years. Holidays range from 9 to 11 days a year.
Median hourly earnings of communication equipment operators, all other, in May 2004 were $15.23. The middle 50 percent earned between $12.27 and $18.99. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $10.23, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $22.70.
(from the Occupational Outlook Handbook: Communications Equipment Operators)
See more recent statistics for employed workers below.
May 2005 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers
National Occupational Employment and Earnings by Industry (NAICS sector and 3-digit industry group)
| Telephone operators | |||||
| Percentile earnings distribution | |||||
| 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th | |
| Wholesale Trade employment: 730 mean earnings: $33,330 (EC) (def) (IG) | $22,870 | $26,290 | $33,870 | $41,420 | $44,800 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods employment: 720 mean earnings: $33,370 | $23,060 | $26,340 | $33,960 | $41,450 | $44,810 |
| Retail Trade employment: 80 mean earnings: $22,970 (EC) (def) (IG) | $15,650 | $17,080 | $20,670 | $26,320 | $37,280 |
| Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers employment: 50 mean earnings: $22,120 | $15,340 | $16,450 | $18,380 | $25,420 | $38,610 |
| Transportation and Warehousing employment: 70 mean earnings: $23,550 (EC) (def) (IG) | $13,360 | $18,930 | $21,630 | $26,820 | $40,100 |
| Information employment: 21,540 mean earnings: $32,740 (EC) (def) (IG) | $18,880 | $23,280 | $35,920 | $41,740 | $44,780 |
| Publishing Industries (except Internet) employment: 240 mean earnings: $24,860 | $19,320 | $23,310 | $25,210 | $27,110 | $28,240 |
| Telecommunications employment: 19,920 mean earnings: $32,880 | $18,700 | $23,350 | $36,320 | $41,880 | $44,860 |
| Internet Service Providers, Web Search Portals, and Data Processing Service employment: 50 mean earnings: $35,960 | $23,340 | $31,270 | $38,170 | $42,970 | $45,860 |
| Finance and Insurance employment: 320 mean earnings: $28,100 (EC) (def) (IG) | $18,740 | $21,810 | $26,590 | $34,120 | $41,590 |
| Credit Intermediation and Related Activities employment: 220 mean earnings: $27,290 | $18,480 | $21,290 | $26,070 | $33,060 | $39,480 |
| Insurance Carriers and Related Activities employment: 100 mean earnings: $30,210 | $20,370 | $23,610 | $27,770 | $37,560 | $44,230 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing employment: n.a. mean earnings: $29,940 (EC) (def) (IG) | $14,650 | $15,640 | $17,290 | $43,870 | $61,680 |
| Rental and Leasing Services employment: n.a. mean earnings: $50,390 | $28,950 | $32,430 | $53,460 | $66,560 | $74,860 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employment: n.a. mean earnings: $29,240 (EC) (def) (IG) | $18,880 | $21,050 | $27,280 | $38,550 | $43,550 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employment: n.a. mean earnings: $29,240 | $18,880 | $21,050 | $27,280 | $38,550 | $43,550 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises employment: 360 mean earnings: $24,100 (EC) (def) (IG) | $14,890 | $16,240 | $21,070 | $30,880 | $40,260 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises employment: 360 mean earnings: n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services employment: 2,200 mean earnings: $20,190 (EC) (def) (IG) | $13,520 | $16,390 | $20,040 | $23,100 | $27,490 |
| Administrative and Support Services employment: 2,200 mean earnings: $20,190 | $13,520 | $16,390 | $20,040 | $23,100 | $27,490 |
| Educational Services employment: 310 mean earnings: $24,600 (EC) (def) (IG) | $12,960 | $17,730 | $23,640 | $31,280 | $36,830 |
| Educational Services employment: 310 mean earnings: $24,600 | $12,960 | $17,730 | $23,640 | $31,280 | $36,830 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance employment: 1,990 mean earnings: $28,620 (EC) (def) (IG) | $19,540 | $22,830 | $28,360 | $34,040 | $39,250 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services employment: 150 mean earnings: $27,300 | $17,350 | $21,560 | $28,320 | $32,770 | $36,010 |
| Hospitals employment: 1,830 mean earnings: $28,720 | $19,670 | $22,890 | $28,370 | $34,160 | $39,510 |
| Accomodation and Food Service employment: 120 mean earnings: $25,970 (EC) (def) (IG) | $18,290 | $20,530 | $23,780 | $29,330 | $38,610 |
| Accommodation employment: 120 mean earnings: $25,970 | $18,290 | $20,530 | $23,780 | $29,330 | $38,610 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) employment: 90 mean earnings: $18,800 (EC) (def) (IG) | $14,630 | $15,460 | $16,760 | $19,220 | $26,190 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation) employment: 740 mean earnings: $30,040 (def) (IG) | $19,660 | $23,190 | $29,270 | $35,380 | $42,660 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation) employment: 740 mean earnings: $30,040 | $19,660 | $23,190 | $29,270 | $35,380 | $42,660 |
source: Occupational Employment Statistics Program; about these estimates
The (EC) links lead to data from the Economic Census from the Census Bureau.
The (def) links lead to 2002 NAICS industry definitions from the Census Bureau.
The (IG) links lead to Industry at a Glance industry profiles from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.