The median annual wage for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service in California is $49,460 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $54,710.
Pay spans roughly $36,290 at the 10th percentile to $79,730 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $23.78 per hour. An estimated 7,170 people work as switchboard operators, including answering service in California.
| Median (annual) | $49,460 |
| Mean (annual) | $54,710 |
| Median (hourly) | $23.78 |
| 10th percentile | $36,290 |
| 90th percentile | $79,730 |
| Employment | 7,170 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.