Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,280 a year or less, while the top 10% make $81,090 or more. The middle half of switchboard operators, including answering service in San Francisco earn between $47,000 and $75,700.
- $41K10th
- $47K25th
- $62KMedian
- $76K75th
- $81K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $61,160 | $5,097 | $29.40 |
| Median | $61,780 | $5,148 | $29.70 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $47,000 | $3,917 | $22.60 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $75,700 | $6,308 | $36.39 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Switchboard operators, including answering service in San Francisco earn 13% more than the California average ($54,360) and 45% more than the U.S. average ($42,300). At the median the gap is +60% against the U.S. median of $38,630.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $61,160 | $61,780 | $41,280 | $81,090 | 700 |
| California | $54,360 | $48,840 | $37,380 | $79,260 | 6,680 |
| United States | $42,300 | $38,630 | $29,990 | $59,470 | 34,280 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salary after taxes in San Francisco
On the average salary of $61,160, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $49,460 a year, or $4,122 a month and $1,902 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Francisco a good place for switchboard operators, including answering service? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $61,160 buys what about $52,901 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 18.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 2nd of 17 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($73,450).
- San Jose$73,450
- San Francisco$61,160
- Stockton$57,560
- Sacramento$53,540
- Napa$53,060
- Oxnard$52,840
- Santa Rosa$52,410
- San Diego$49,660
- Los Angeles$49,520
- Modesto$48,940
All Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salaries in California
Highest-paying cities for switchboard operators, including answering service
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($73,450).
- San Jose, CA$73,450
- San Francisco, CA$61,160
- Kahului, HI$60,220
- Honolulu, HI$57,600
- Stockton, CA$57,560
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salary by city
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Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salary in San Francisco: questions
How much do switchboard operators, including answering service make an hour in San Francisco?
$29.40 an hour on average, and $29.70 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level switchboard operators, including answering service salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,280 a year and the 25th percentile is $47,000, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the switchboard operators, including answering service take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $49,460 a year ($4,122 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $61,160. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do switchboard operators, including answering service earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 45% more than the U.S. average for this job ($42,300).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 43-2011; area San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.4%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.35, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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