SOC 43-2011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service — Dallas
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service in Dallas, TX is $35,390 per year, 8.4% below the national median of $38,630.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service in Dallas, TX is $35,390 per year, 8.4% below the national median of $38,630. Half of workers earn between $30,120 and $36,700. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $27,200 and the ninetieth at $40,660.
Employment stands at 1,200, or 0.3 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Austin records the highest median at $36,550. Of the 713 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 650th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $27,200 | −29.6% |
| 25th | $30,120 | −22.0% |
| Median (50th) | $35,390 | −8.4% |
| 75th | $36,700 | −5.0% |
| 90th | $40,660 | +5.3% |
| Mean | $34,030 | −11.9% |
Other metro areas in Texas
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin | $36,550 | 250 | |
| 2 | Houston | $34,330 | 740 | |
| 3 | San Antonio | $33,320 | 290 | |
| 4 | McAllen | $32,170 | 40 | |
| 5 | Killeen | $29,570 | 50 | |
| 6 | Corpus Christi | $29,380 | 100 | |
| 7 | Lubbock | $29,180 | 70 | |
| 8 | Beaumont | $28,850 | 60 | |
| 9 | Brownsville | $28,760 | 40 | |
| 10 | El Paso | $27,510 | 70 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Dallas run 2.9% below the national average, so the median of $35,390 goes as far as $36,447 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 5.7% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$35,390as reported by BLSLocal price level
97.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$36,447US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $35,390 a year, 8.4% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $27,200 to $40,660 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 1,200 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Austin, at $36,550.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service in Dallas, TX?
The median annual wage is $35,390, or $17.02 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $38,630, so pay in Dallas, TX is 8.4% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Dallas, TX earns more than $40,660 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $27,200 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Austin, at $36,550 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 1,200 jobs in this occupation in Dallas, TX. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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