Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service pay in California
$54,360avg. a year
$26.13 an hour · 6,680 employed
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service in California earn an average of $54,360 a year. That is $12,060 (29%) more than the U.S. average of $42,300. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $73,450.
$48,840Median pay
$26.13Average hourly
+25%Avg. pay since 2020
#3Of 45 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for switchboard operators, including answering service by metro area. Swipe to see all 17.
1440 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$73,450
$35.31 an hour
2700 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$61,160
$29.40 an hour
3170 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$57,560
$27.67 an hour
4420 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$53,540
$25.74 an hour
550 jobs
Napa, CA
$53,060
$25.51 an hour
660 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$52,840
$25.40 an hour
790 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$52,410
$25.20 an hour
8570 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$49,660
$23.87 an hour
92,110 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$49,520
$23.81 an hour
1070 jobs
Modesto, CA
$48,940
$23.53 an hour
1190 jobs
Salinas, CA
$48,480
$23.31 an hour
12500 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$47,100
$22.65 an hour
1380 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$45,880
$22.06 an hour
14150 jobs
Fresno, CA
$45,730
$21.99 an hour
1540 jobs
Visalia, CA
$45,340
$21.80 an hour
16140 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$45,210
$21.74 an hour
1750 jobs
Merced, CA
$44,480
$21.39 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California switchboard operators, including answering service work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $37k$37k–$39k$39k–$43k$43k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $42,300 | $20.34 |
| California | $54,360 | $26.13 |
| Arizona | $41,380 | $19.89 |
| Nevada | $38,870 | $18.69 |
Related jobs in California
- Customer Service Representatives$54,640
- Office Clerks, General$51,880
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$57,710
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$82,290
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$60,830
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$56,350
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do switchboard operators, including answering service make in California?
The average is $54,360 a year, and the median is $48,840. That is $12,060 (29%) more than the U.S. average of $42,300.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$26.13 an hour on average; the median is $23.48.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($73,450), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($61,160). The lowest average among 17 metro areas with data is Merced, CA ($44,480).
How does California rank?
California ranks #3 of 46 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 43-2011. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national switchboard operators, including answering service page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.