Telephone Operators
Provide information by accessing alphabetical, geographical, or other 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.
Also called: 411 Directory Assistance Operator (411 Directory Assistance Op), Central Office Operator (CO Op), Change Number Operator (Change Number Op), Charge Operator (Charge Op), Communications Operator (Communications Op), Customer Service Assistant
Median pay
$41,740
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$31,510 – $62,950
People employed
3,430
Holland code
CSE
Conventional · Social · Enterprising
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 2.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 3.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 4.Do you want to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
- 5.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 6.Are you comfortable following clear instructions?
- 7.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 8.Do you want the same hours every week?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Telephone Operators pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (15 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What telephone operators do
- 01Observe signal lights on switchboards, and dial or press buttons to make connections.
- 02Operate paging systems or other systems of bells or buzzers to notify recipients of incoming calls.
- 03Operate telephone switchboards and systems to advance and complete connections, including those for local, long distance, pay telephone, mobile, person-to-person, and emergency calls.
- 04Listen to customer requests, referring to alphabetical or geographical directories to answer questions and provide telephone information.
- 05Monitor automated systems for placing collect calls and intervene for a callers needing assistance.
- 06Update directory information.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- Telecommunications
- Administrative
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Cooperation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a high school diploma (O*NET Job Zone 2).
- Related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- On-the-job training: over 1 month, up to and including 3 months.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from telephone operators
- Receptionists and Information Clerks92% · −9%
- Office Clerks, General89% · +8%
- Customer Service Representatives88% · +7%
- Public Safety Telecommunicators84% · +27%
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive83% · +14%
Change into telephone operators
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Receptionists and Information Clerks82% · $38,010
- Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks80% · $35,070
- File Clerks79% · $43,600
- Office Clerks, General79% · $45,010
- Customer Service Representatives78% · $44,770