Highest-paying cities for switchboard operators, including answering service
San Jose, CA leads at $79,260 a year. Pay is not adjusted for local prices; see each page for the cost-of-living view.
| Place | Median | 25th–75th |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $79,260 | $64,090–$79,260 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $63,190 | $50,810–$64,640 |
| San Francisco, CA | $61,780 | $47,000–$75,700 |
| Kahului, HI | $60,420 | $51,050–$64,920 |
| Stockton, CA | $59,360 | $37,600–$78,130 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $57,030 | $41,840–$67,550 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $51,950 | $47,430–$57,410 |
| Seattle, WA | $50,470 | $45,110–$57,650 |
| Oxnard, CA | $49,840 | $43,870–$62,940 |
| Napa, CA | $49,460 | $46,620–$58,300 |
| Bend, OR | $48,880 | $44,830–$62,060 |
| Salinas, CA | $48,840 | $45,170–$48,840 |
| Sacramento, CA | $47,380 | $44,080–$66,370 |
| New York, NY | $47,350 | $39,730–$56,990 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $46,330 | $45,920–$59,240 |
| Spokane, WA | $46,160 | $36,360–$49,200 |
| San Diego, CA | $46,080 | $42,740–$56,480 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $45,870 | $39,550–$57,870 |
| Boston, MA | $45,760 | $39,940–$48,180 |
| Washington, DC | $45,750 | $37,530–$52,670 |
| Denver, CO | $44,980 | $40,260–$45,750 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $44,680 | $38,080–$50,050 |
| Fresno, CA | $44,590 | $38,030–$49,860 |
| Kiryas Joel, NY | $44,550 | $39,690–$48,010 |
| Chicago, IL | $44,540 | $39,810–$47,300 |
| Syracuse, NY | $44,510 | $38,210–$46,890 |
| Visalia, CA | $44,330 | $41,240–$51,590 |
| Modesto, CA | $44,320 | $37,270–$50,590 |
| Manchester, NH | $44,210 | $39,770–$44,270 |
| Merced, CA | $44,190 | $39,000–$50,390 |
| Riverside, CA | $44,130 | $37,900–$54,480 |
| Worcester, MA | $44,050 | $37,710–$50,070 |
| Hartford, CT | $43,500 | $34,790–$49,710 |
| Reading, PA | $42,900 | $37,330–$43,410 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $42,710 | $36,400–$52,980 |
| Charlotte, NC | $42,320 | $37,330–$43,440 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $42,190 | $39,460–$46,920 |
| Dover, DE | $41,900 | $31,650–$41,900 |
| Kansas City, MO | $41,470 | $36,620–$44,550 |
| Binghamton, NY | $41,420 | $36,990–$46,620 |
| Harrisburg, PA | $41,360 | $36,430–$43,150 |
| Buffalo, NY | $41,330 | $37,700–$46,650 |
| Greensboro, NC | $41,130 | $35,930–$43,810 |
| Des Moines, IA | $41,100 | $39,330–$45,570 |
| Madison, WI | $40,630 | $39,430–$46,690 |
| Asheville, NC | $40,590 | $36,220–$46,860 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $40,540 | $38,730–$46,170 |
| Atlanta, GA | $39,930 | $37,580–$46,390 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $39,910 | $31,990–$41,270 |
| Dayton, OH | $39,870 | $33,870–$39,870 |
Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025.