U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsOperate telephone business systems equipment or switchboards to relay incoming, outgoing, and interoffice calls. May supply information to callers and record messages.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 138,200 | 1.2 % | $12.63 | $26,280 | 0.3 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $8.53 | $9.93 | $11.98 | $14.63 | $17.82 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $17,740 | $20,650 | $24,920 | $30,420 | $37,060 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Support Services | 20,020 | 2.42 | $11.32 | $23,540 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 19,610 | 0.38 | $12.67 | $26,350 |
| Automobile Dealers | 10,960 | 1.09 | $11.52 | $23,970 |
| Offices of Physicians | 9,730 | 0.42 | $12.69 | $26,390 |
| Traveler Accommodation | 6,760 | 0.41 | $13.50 | $28,090 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Satellite Telecommunications | 360 | 3.30 | $14.48 | $30,120 |
| Business Support Services | 20,020 | 2.42 | $11.32 | $23,540 |
| Automobile Dealers | 10,960 | 1.09 | $11.52 | $23,970 |
| Taxi and Limousine Service | 520 | 0.76 | $11.14 | $23,170 |
| Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds | 290 | 0.67 | $14.03 | $29,180 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Gas Distribution | 50 | 0.05 | $22.29 | $46,360 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | (8) | (8) | $19.63 | $40,830 |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events | 130 | 0.13 | $16.49 | $34,310 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 670 | 0.03 | $16.30 | $33,910 |
| Other Telecommunications | (8) | (8) | $15.97 | $33,210 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 17,520 | 1.25 | 1.15 | $13.70 | $28,490 |
| Texas | 11,100 | 1.10 | 1.01 | $11.73 | $24,410 |
| New York | 10,160 | 1.22 | 1.12 | $14.21 | $29,560 |
| Illinois | 7,310 | 1.32 | 1.22 | $12.44 | $25,880 |
| Florida | 6,500 | 0.92 | 0.84 | $11.52 | $23,970 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 2,400 | 2.16 | 1.99 | $13.82 | $28,750 |
| Louisiana | 2,880 | 1.57 | 1.45 | $11.11 | $23,100 |
| Maine | 900 | 1.56 | 1.43 | $11.97 | $24,910 |
| New Mexico | 1,210 | 1.55 | 1.43 | $11.83 | $24,600 |
| Connecticut | 2,280 | 1.43 | 1.31 | $14.66 | $30,500 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 670 | 1.05 | 0.97 | $16.89 | $35,130 |
| Hawaii | 790 | 1.39 | 1.28 | $14.90 | $30,980 |
| Connecticut | 2,280 | 1.43 | 1.31 | $14.66 | $30,500 |
| Washington | 2,190 | 0.82 | 0.75 | $14.60 | $30,370 |
| Massachusetts | 3,200 | 1.03 | 0.94 | $14.27 | $29,690 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 5,280 | 1.06 | 0.97 | $15.96 | $33,190 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 4,520 | 1.18 | 1.09 | $13.78 | $28,670 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division | 4,260 | 1.20 | 1.11 | $13.27 | $27,600 |
| Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | 2,410 | 0.97 | 0.89 | $12.32 | $25,630 |
| Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division | 2,370 | 1.73 | 1.59 | $12.89 | $26,810 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 2,270 | 1.13 | 1.04 | $12.92 | $26,880 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA | 2,240 | 1.02 | 0.93 | $13.38 | $27,820 |
| Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division | 2,000 | 1.11 | 1.02 | $13.32 | $27,710 |
| Las Vegas-Paradise, NV | 1,880 | 2.33 | 2.14 | $14.21 | $29,550 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 1,840 | 1.10 | 1.01 | $13.06 | $27,170 |