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Salary comparison

Meter Readers, Utilities vs. Customer Service Representatives: Who Earns More?

Meter Readers, Utilities out-earn Customer Service Representatives by $3K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Meter Readers, Utilities land at $48,150 and Customer Service Representatives at $44,770. The education gap is real: meter readers, utility programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while customer service representatif programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Meter Readers, Utilities is California ($79,040); for Customer Service Representatives it's Washington ($50,330).

Meter Readers, Utilities
Customer Service Representatives
Median salary
$48,150
$44,770
Hourly rate
$23.15/hr
$21.53/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$34,720
$31,750
Senior level (90th %)
$85,930
$63,590
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
19,430
2,595,750
Job growth (10-year)
-12%
-5.5%
Category
Office & Admin
Office & Admin
Top-paying state
California
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Meter Readers, Utilities median pay.

State
Meter Readers, Utilities
Customer Service Representatives
California
$79,040
$49,560
Minnesota
$73,930
$48,800
Colorado
$66,550
$47,540
Washington
$65,900
$50,330
Connecticut
$64,180
$48,090
Oregon
$63,660
$47,450
New Jersey
$63,030
$47,740
Iowa
$60,940
$46,090
Illinois
$60,690
$46,130
Delaware
$58,240
$48,190
New York
$56,960
$48,000
Rhode Island
$56,830
$47,550
Massachusetts
$54,150
$49,120
Hawaii
$51,910
$45,650
Arizona
$44,760
$45,690

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Meter Readers, Utilities or Customer Service Representatives?

Meter Readers, Utilities earn more nationally. The median is $48,150 for Meter Readers, Utilities versus $44,770 for Customer Service Representatives, a difference of $3K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Meter Readers, Utilities or Customer Service Representatives?

Customer Service Representatives has the better 10-year outlook at -5.5% projected growth, compared to -12% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Meter Readers, Utilities or Customer Service Representatives?

Meter Readers, Utilities typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Customer Service Representatives requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Meter Readers, Utilities get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Meter Readers, Utilities at $79,040/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Meter Readers, Utilities vs. Customer Service Representatives pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Meter Readers, Utilities earn $79,040 vs. $49,560 for Customer Service Representatives. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Meter Readers, Utilities salary breakdownView →Full Customer Service Representatives salary breakdownView →Best cities for Meter Readers, Utilities by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Customer Service Representatives by take-home payExplore →How to become a meter readers, utilitiesGuide →How to become a customer service representativesGuide →