Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service: Career Overview
Operate telephone business systems equipment or switchboards to relay incoming, outgoing, and interoffice calls. May supply information to callers and record messages.
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What Do Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Do?
The core tasks performed by switchboard operators, including answering service span:
- 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.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top switchboard operators, including answering service combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Answering Service Telephone Operator
- CBX Operator (Computerized Branch Exchange Operator)
- Central Communications Specialist
- Combination Operator
- Command and Control Specialist
- Communication Center Operator
- Communications Coordinator
- Communications Operator
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 760,791 switchboard operators, including answering service working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +11.5% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $52,135 |
| Hourly median | $25.06 |
| 10th percentile | $35,392 |
| 25th percentile | $43,763 |
| 75th percentile | $60,506 |
| 90th percentile | $68,878 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $57,220 |
| District of Columbia | $55,140 |
| California | $49,460 |
| Oregon | $49,440 |
| Minnesota | $48,280 |
| Washington | $46,470 |
| New York | $45,030 |
| Colorado | $42,740 |
| Maine | $42,090 |
| Montana | $41,880 |
| Utah | $41,290 |
| New Hampshire | $40,860 |
| Massachusetts | $40,730 |
| Illinois | $40,230 |
| Wisconsin | $39,910 |
| Maryland | $39,750 |
| Vermont | $39,500 |
| Arizona | $39,030 |
| Rhode Island | $38,350 |
| Georgia | $38,080 |
| Michigan | $38,070 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,930 |
| New Jersey | $37,920 |
| Idaho | $37,650 |
| New Mexico | $37,430 |
| Nevada | $37,260 |
| Iowa | $37,160 |
| Delaware | $36,930 |
| Kansas | $36,900 |
| Nebraska | $36,880 |
| Alaska | $36,600 |
| Connecticut | $36,560 |
| Kentucky | $36,500 |
| Ohio | $36,490 |
| North Carolina | $36,190 |
| Missouri | $35,640 |
| Virgin Islands | $35,620 |
| Virginia | $35,540 |
| Louisiana | $35,260 |
| Oklahoma | $35,170 |
| Florida | $35,080 |
| Indiana | $34,720 |
| West Virginia | $34,600 |
| Arkansas | $33,680 |
| South Carolina | $33,640 |
| Tennessee | $33,280 |
| Texas | $31,780 |
| Mississippi | $31,560 |
| Alabama | $31,450 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,970 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for switchboard operators, including answering service differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $48,439 | 25.5% | 1.72 |
| Rocky Mountains | $41,965 | 2.0% | 0.61 |
| Middle Atlantic | $41,771 | 13.7% | 0.91 |
| New England | $39,755 | 5.2% | 1.12 |
| Great Lakes | $38,539 | 11.2% | 0.93 |
| Plains States | $38,401 | 5.2% | 0.96 |
| Southeast | $34,678 | 24.0% | 1.22 |
| Southwest | $33,410 | 11.1% | 0.89 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $73,220 | 410 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $61,760 | 60 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $61,350 | 240 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | MA | $59,810 | 30 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $59,500 | 50 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | CA | $58,750 | 150 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $54,850 | 870 |
| Bend, OR | OR | $50,310 | 40 |
Which Industries Hire Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service
Most switchboard operators, including answering service are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 17,860 | $39,840 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 8,250 | $36,200 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 2,640 | $44,780 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 980 | $34,890 |
| Retail Trade | 900 | $33,990 |
| Finance and Insurance | 710 | $41,540 |
| Educational Services | 700 | $38,730 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 690 | $39,380 |
Below are examples of industries where switchboard operators, including answering service work:
Tools and Technology
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of switchboard operators, including answering service reflects the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Frequency of Decision Making
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level switchboard operators, including answering service positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Telecommunications Engineering Specialists (Supplemental)
- Telemarketers (Primary-Long)
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers (Supplemental)
- Telephone Operators (Primary-Short)
- Billing and Posting Clerks (Supplemental)
- Brokerage Clerks (Supplemental)
- Customer Service Representatives (Primary-Short)
- Receptionists and Information Clerks (Primary-Short)
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 43-2011.00 (Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service).
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