Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service pay range in Columbia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,840 a year or less, while the top 10% make $35,250 or more. The middle half of switchboard operators, including answering service in Columbia earn between $32,280 and $35,070.
- $31K10th
- $32K25th
- $33KMedian
- $35K75th
- $35K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $33,470 | $2,789 | $16.09 |
| Median | $32,890 | $2,741 | $15.81 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $32,280 | $2,690 | $15.52 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $35,070 | $2,922 | $16.86 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service pay in Columbia vs. South Carolina and the U.S.
Switchboard operators, including answering service in Columbia earn 5% less than the South Carolina average ($35,310) and 21% less than the U.S. average ($42,300). At the median the gap is -15% against the U.S. median of $38,630.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $33,470 | $32,890 | $30,840 | $35,250 | 40 |
| South Carolina | $35,310 | $34,010 | $29,940 | $43,730 | 480 |
| 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 Columbia
On the average salary of $33,470, a single filer in Columbia takes home about $28,706 a year, or $2,392 a month and $1,104 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Columbia a good place for switchboard operators, including answering service? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbia area are 6% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.7), so the average $33,470 buys what about $35,735 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbia ($46,430). A typical home costs $256,154, or 7.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salary in other South Carolina cities
Columbia ranks 4th of 4 South Carolina metro areas for this job; Charleston pays the most ($38,260).
- Charleston$38,260
- Greenville$37,280
- Myrtle Beach$34,190
- Columbia$33,470
All Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salaries in South Carolina
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 Columbia: questions
How much do switchboard operators, including answering service make an hour in Columbia?
$16.09 an hour on average, and $15.81 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level switchboard operators, including answering service salary in Columbia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,840 a year and the 25th percentile is $32,280, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the switchboard operators, including answering service take-home pay in Columbia?
About $28,706 a year ($2,392 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $33,470.
Do switchboard operators, including answering service earn more in Columbia than elsewhere?
The average here is 21% less 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 Columbia, SC (17900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.46, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.46).
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