Telephone operators

Detailed Occupation

Add Comparison

2021 Workforce

32.8k

Average Age

40.6

Estimated Job Growth

−28%

10-year projection

Average Salary

$32,610

Average Male Salary

$37,858

Average Female Salary

$30,632

About

Telephone operators are most often employed by the Business support services industry. The average yearly wage for Telephone operators was $32,610 in 2021.

The locations that employ the most Telephone operators are El Paso City (Southeast) PUMA, TX, Doral, Sweetwater Cities & Fontainebleau PUMA, FL, and Tampa City (Central) PUMA, FL. The locations with a relatively high concentration of Telephone operators are El Paso City (Southeast) PUMA, TX, Doral, Sweetwater Cities & Fontainebleau PUMA, FL, and Tampa City (Central) PUMA, FL.

Sales & Office Occupations Office & Administrative Support Occupations

Employment and salary information for the Telephone operators workforce. Telephone operators workforce in 2021 was 32,842 people, of which 72.6% were women and 27.4% were men. Telephone operators are paid most in Doral, Sweetwater Cities & Fontainebleau PUMA, FL but are relatively concentrated in El Paso City (Southeast) PUMA, TX.

Employment Over Time

Metric

Grouping

8,990

Male Workforce

± 2.33k

23,852

Female Workforce

± 3.79k

The Telephone operators workforce in 2021 was 32,842 people (72.6% women and 27.4% men). This implies an average annual growth of −22.5% between 2014 (42,403) and 2021 (32,842).

Employment by Location

Level

Metric

This map shows the states in the United States shaded by average wage for Telephone operators.

During 2021, the states that concentrated the best average annual wage were Michigan ($55,932), Idaho ($55,300), and Minnesota ($54,515).

Yearly Wage Ranking

$32,610

AVERAGE WAGE

#442 in the ranking (2021)

$59,596

NATIONAL AVERAGE WAGE

For all occupations across the US

In 2021, Telephone operators earned an average of $32,610, $26,986 less than the average national salary of $59,596

The graph shows the ranking of Telephone operators in relation to all Detailed Occupation in 2021.

Wage Distribution

Gender

0.359

WAGE GINI

In 2021, Telephone operators had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.359, which is lower than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Telephone operators (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

The graphic shows the distribution of average salaries by buckets for Telephone operators compared to the entire workforce in the country.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Telephone operators and on wages for those in the field. Business support services is the industry that employs the most Telephone operators, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Telephone operators, by average wage, is Scientific research & development services ($101,741).

Occupations by Industries

Metric

Value

32.8k

2021 Workforce

± 4,449

−6.34%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 20.1%

This graphic shows the share of Telephone operators employed by various industries. Business support services employs the largest share of Telephone operators at 47.2%, followed by General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals with 31.9% and Wired telecommunications carriers with 20.9%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Telephone operators in the US. The workforce of Telephone operators in 2021 was 32,842 people, with 72.6% woman, and 27.4% men. The average age of male Telephone operators in the workforce is 38.4 and of female Telephone operators is 41.4, and the most common race/ethnicity for Telephone operators is White.

Gender and Age

Metric

The workforce of Telephone operators in 2021 was 32,842 people, with 72.6% woman, and 27.4% men.

The age ranges that concentrated the largest workforce were 20 to 24 years (5,810 people), 25 to 29 years (4,300 people), and 30 to 34 years (3,701 people). Among them they concentrated 42.7% of the total workforce.

Ethnicity

Gender

In 2021, 20.2% of Telephone operators workers were Hispanic and 79.8% non-Hispanic.

The treemap shows the distribution of Hispanic workers according to their origin, highlighting Mexican (82.2%), Puerto Rican (13.1)%, and Dominican (4.68)%

You can review this information by gender using the selectors above.

Races

In 2021, 57.9% of the Telephone operators workforce were White, of which 70.8% were women and 29.2% men. Other races that concentrated a significant number of workers were Black (25.5%) and Two or More Races (7.83%).

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices for Telephone operators from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Telephone operators is Business but the most specialized major according to RCA in 2021 were Engineering Technologies.

Among the necessary skills for Telephone operators, Active Listening stands, but the revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Telephone operators need more than the average amount of Programming.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.

Type of Majors

Degree

The most common majors achieved by Telephone operators in 2021 (counting all academic degrees) were Business (1,539 people), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (470 people), and Engineering Technologies (401 people).

You can review this information for different academic grades by modifying the option selected in the selector above.

Education Levels

Metric

The main educational levels achieved by the Telephone operators workers were Some college (12,175 people), High School or Equivalent (10,839 people), and Bachelors Degree (4,564 people).

The graphic shows the Telephone operators workforce by gender and educational level.

Skills

Chart

Value

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for Telephone operators from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Telephone operators need many skills, but most especially Active Listening, Speaking, Service Orientation.

Projections

Projections on job growth for Telephone Operators from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 10-year national workforce is projected to grow 3.71%, but Telephone Operators are expected to see a growth of −28% over the same period. This occupation is expected to grow less than the national average.

Job Growth

−28%

Estimated Job Growth

10-year Projection

3.71%

National Growth

10-year Projection

This line chart shows the projected 10-year growth in the number of jobs for Telephone operators. This profession is expected to grow less than than 3.71%, the average rate of national job growth.