How to become a Telephone Operator
Official title: Telephone Operators
Also called: 411 Directory Assistance Operator (411 Directory Assistance Op), Directory Assistance Operator (Directory Assistance Op), Information Specialist, Live Source Operator (Live Source Op), Long Distance Operator (LD Operator), PBX Operator (Post Box Exchange Operator), Phone Operator (Telephone Operator), Phone Secretary (Telephone Secretary), TELECOM Op (Telecommunications Operator), Toll Operator (Toll Op)
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.
Main tasks
- Observe signal lights on switchboards, and dial or press buttons to make connections.
- Operate telephone switchboards and systems to advance and complete connections, including those for local, long distance, pay telephone, mobile, person-to-person, and emergency calls.
- Listen to customer requests, referring to alphabetical or geographical directories to answer questions and provide telephone information.
- Update directory information.
- Suggest and check alternate spellings, locations, or listing formats to customers lacking details or complete information.
- Perform clerical duties such as typing, proofreading, and sorting mail.
- Offer special assistance to persons such as those who are unable to dial or who are in emergency situations.
How to become one
Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $41,740 a year The middle half earn $36,920 to $51,510.
- About 3,500 people work in this job now, and about 2,500 are projected by 2035. (-27.6%)
- People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.
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Questions people ask
How much does a Telephone Operator earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $41,740 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $36,920 to $51,510.
Is a Telephone Operator a growing career in the US?
Employment is projected to fall 28% by 2035, from about 3,500 to about 2,500 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Telephone Operator?
Usually not. Only 18% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a Telephone Operator?
People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the 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. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.