# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/telephone-operators
- SOC code: 43-2021.00
- Career family: Office and administrative support
- Median annual pay: $41,740 (10th percentile $31,510, 90th percentile $62,950)
- Projected growth: Decline, -27.6%
- Openings a year: 200
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code CSE)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 37 |
| Investigative (I) | 2 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 51 |
| Enterprising (E) | 39 |
| Conventional (C) | 87 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 87/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 85/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 78/100)
- Processing Information (importance 77/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 76/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 73/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 72/100)
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others (importance 64/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 62/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 58/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Speaking, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Monitoring, Complex Problem Solving, Coordination, Time Management

## Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service, Telecommunications, Administrative, English Language, Computers and Electronics, Administration and Management, Public Safety and Security, Education and Training, Personnel and Human Resources, Communications and Media

## 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, Directory Assistance Operator (Directory Assistance Op), Directory Operator (Directory Op), Emergency Operator (Emergency Op), Information Operator (Information Op)

## Related careers

- [Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/switchboard-operators-including-answering-service): $38,630 median pay
- [Receptionists and Information Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/receptionists-and-information-clerks): $38,010 median pay
- [Telemarketers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/telemarketers): $35,450 median pay
- [Office Clerks, General](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/office-clerks-general): $45,010 median pay
- [Customer Service Representatives](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/customer-service-representatives): $44,770 median pay
- [Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/telecommunications-equipment-installers-and-repairers-except-line-installers): $63,890 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.