Telephone Operators pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,950 a year or less, while the top 10% make $63,510 or more. The middle half of telephone operators in Los Angeles earn between $45,950 and $63,500.
- $46K10th
- $46K25th
- $59KMedian
- $64K75th
- $64K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $55,510 | $4,626 | $26.69 |
| Median | $58,900 | $4,908 | $28.32 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $45,950 | $3,829 | $22.09 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $63,500 | $5,292 | $30.53 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Telephone Operators pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Telephone operators in Los Angeles earn about the same as the California average ($55,910) and 23% more than the U.S. average ($44,970). At the median the gap is +41% against the U.S. median of $41,740.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $55,510 | $58,900 | $45,950 | $63,510 | 110 |
| California | $55,910 | $57,170 | $44,120 | $66,670 | 230 |
| United States | $44,970 | $41,740 | $31,510 | $62,950 | 3,430 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Telephone Operators salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $55,510, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $45,259 a year, or $3,772 a month and $1,741 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% 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 Los Angeles a good place for telephone operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $55,510 buys what about $48,879 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 17.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Telephone Operators salary in nearby metro areas
- Austin, TX$44,020
- Beaumont, TX$36,370
- Cincinnati, OH$38,830
- Atlanta, GA$44,500
- Detroit, MI$39,770
- Columbus, OH$38,930
Highest-paying cities for telephone operators
Los Angeles, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($55,510).
- Los Angeles, CA$55,510
- Boston, MA$52,680
- New York, NY$52,200
- Washington, DC$50,210
- Philadelphia, PA$49,150
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Telephone Operators salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do telephone operators make an hour in Los Angeles?
$26.69 an hour on average, and $28.32 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level telephone operators salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,950 a year and the 25th percentile is $45,950, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the telephone operators take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $45,259 a year ($3,772 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $55,510. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do telephone operators earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 23% more than the U.S. average for this job ($44,970).
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 43-2021; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.7%.
- 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 0.80, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.80).
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