Switchboard operators, including answering service

Detailed Occupation

Add Comparison

2020 Workforce

22.5k

Average Age

Estimated Job Growth

−22.6%

10-year projection

Average Salary

$32,925

Average Male Salary

$39,458

Average Female Salary

$31,274

About

Switchboard operators, including answering service are most often employed by the General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals industry. The average yearly wage for Switchboard operators, including answering service was $32,925 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Switchboard operators, including answering service by wage are Shipping, receiving, & traffic clerks, Animal trainers, and Adhesive bonding machine operators & tenders.

Switchboard operators, including answering service are part of the Office & Administrative Support Occupations, along with Firstline supervisors of office & administrative support workers, Switchboard operators, including answering service, Telephone operators, Communications equipment operators, all other, Bill & account collectors, and 45 more.

The top 3 locations that employ the most Switchboard operators, including answering service are Dothan City PUMA, AL, Newport News City PUMA, VA, and LENOWISCO & Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commissions PUMA, VA. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Switchboard operators, including answering service are Jo Daviess, Carroll, Whiteside & Lee Counties PUMA, IL, Dothan City PUMA, AL, and LENOWISCO & Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commissions PUMA, VA.

Employment

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Switchboard operators, including answering service and on wages and locations for those in the field. General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals is the industry that employs the most Switchboard operators, including answering service, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Switchboard operators, including answering service, by average wage, is Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments. Switchboard operators, including answering service are paid most in Somerset, Bedford & Fulton Counties PUMA, PA but are relatively concentrated in Jo Daviess, Carroll, Whiteside & Lee Counties PUMA, IL.

Yearly Wage

$32,925

AVERAGE SALARY

± $6,048

In 2020, Switchboard operators, including answering service earned an average of $32,925, $23,029 less than than the average national salary of $55,954.

Shipping, receiving, & traffic clerks make somewhat more than Switchboard operators, including answering service while Animal trainers make somewhat less. This chart shows the various occupations closest to Switchboard operators, including answering service as measured by average annual salary in the US.

Wage Distribution

0.334

WAGE GINI

In 2015, Switchboard operators, including answering service had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.334, which is lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Switchboard operators, including answering service (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

Wage by Location

HIGHEST PAYING PUMAS

This map shows the Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States shaded by average annual wage for Switchboard operators, including answering service.

Spatial Concentration

PUMAs with a Relatively High Concentration of Switchboard operators, including answering service

This map displays which Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States have a relatively high population of Switchboard operators, including answering service.

Most Common

The most common industries employing Switchboard operators, including answering service, by number of employees, are General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals, Business support services, Traveler accommodation, Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges, Wired telecommunications carriers, Amusement & Recreation, Offices of physicians, Executive offices & legislative bodies, Banking & related activities, Justice, public order, & safety activities , and Insurance carriers.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries for Switchboard operators, including answering service, by average wage, are Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments, Architectural, engineering & related services, and Motor vehicles & motor vehicle equipment manufacturing.

Industries by Share

22.5k

2020 Workforce

± 3,683

−7.47%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 24.5%

The number of people employed as Switchboard operators, including answering service has been declining at a rate of −7.47%, from 24,324 people in 2019 to 22,507 people in 2020.

This graphic shows the share of Switchboard operators, including answering service employed by various industries. General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals employs the largest share of Switchboard operators, including answering service at 33.1%, followed by Business support services with 16.2% and Traveler accommodation with 6.93%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Switchboard operators, including answering service in the US. The average age of male Switchboard operators, including answering service in the workforce is 42 and of female Switchboard operators, including answering service is 48.3, and the most common race/ethnicity for Switchboard operators, including answering service is White (Non-Hispanic).

Composition by Sex

4.54k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 1,654

18k

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 3,291

79.8% of Switchboard operators, including answering service are Female, making them the more common sex in the occupation. This chart shows the sex breakdown of Switchboard operators, including answering service.

Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity of Switchboard operators, including answering service

White (Non-Hispanic)
Black (Non-Hispanic)
White (Hispanic)

57.6% of Switchboard operators, including answering service are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 21% of Switchboard operators, including answering service, Black (Non-Hispanic) is the second most common race or ethnicity in this occupation. This chart shows the racial and ethnic breakdown of Switchboard operators, including answering service.

Age by Sex

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 5.29

48.3

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 3.06

The median age of Switchboard operators, including answering service is 47, and Male employees are generally 6.27 years younger than than their Female counterparts.

Education

Data on higher education choices for Switchboard operators, including answering service from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Switchboard operators, including answering service is Business but a relatively high number of Switchboard operators, including answering service hold a major in Philosophy and Religious Studies.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.

MOST COMMON MAJORS

MOST SPECIALIZED MAJORS

Skills

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for Switchboard operators, including answering service from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Switchboard operators, including answering service need many skills, but most especially Active Listening, Speaking, and Social Perceptiveness. The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Switchboard operators, including answering service need more than the average amount of Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, and Speaking.

Radar Distribution

Bar Chart

Projections

Projections on job growth for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 10-year national workforce is projected to grow 3.71%, but Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service are expected to see a growth of −22.6% over the same period. This occupation is expected to grow less than the national average.

Job Growth

−22.6%

Estimated Job Growth

10-year Projection

3.71%

National Growth

10-year Projection

This line chart shows the projected 10-year growth in the number of jobs for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service. This profession is expected to grow less than than 3.71%, the average rate of national job growth.