The median annual wage for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service in Illinois is $40,230 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $43,080.
Pay spans roughly $33,860 at the 10th percentile to $55,140 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $19.34 per hour. An estimated 1,830 people work as switchboard operators, including answering service in Illinois.
| Median (annual) | $40,230 |
| Mean (annual) | $43,080 |
| Median (hourly) | $19.34 |
| 10th percentile | $33,860 |
| 90th percentile | $55,140 |
| Employment | 1,830 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.