Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service Salary
The median pay for a switchboard operators, including answering service in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI is $51,950/year ($24.98/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.82), that's roughly $49,561 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,709/month, about 50.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $52K get you in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington’s Regional Price Parity (104.82). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About switchboard operators, including answering services
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What this looks like in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington sits well above the national pay line for switchboard operators, including answering service, local pay runs about 34% higher than the U.S. median of $39K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,709/month, which is 49.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 104.82) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for switchboard operators, including answering services in metros near Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $42K | $44K |
| Madison | $41K | $42K |
| Green Bay | $38K | $41K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $41K | $45K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
Entry-level switchboard operators, including answering services (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $60K | +55% | 410 |
| District of Columbia | $55K | +42% | 230 |
| California | $49K | +26% | 6,680 |
| Washington | $48K | +24% | 430 |
| Minnesota | $47K | +23% | 200 |
| New York | $45K | +17% | 1,760 |
| New Hampshire | $44K | +14% | 100 |
| Massachusetts | $44K | +13% | 830 |
| Colorado | $44K | +13% | 320 |
| Maine | $43K | +12% | 100 |
| Illinois | $43K | +10% | 1,240 |
| Vermont | $43K | +10% | 70 |
| New Jersey | $40K | +5% | 660 |
| Arizona | $40K | +5% | 380 |
| Wisconsin | $40K | +4% | 550 |
| Rhode Island | $40K | +3% | 130 |
| Georgia | $39K | +2% | 780 |
| Kansas | $39K | +0% | 180 |
| North Carolina | $39K | -0% | 690 |
| Iowa | $38K | -1% | 210 |
| Connecticut | $38K | -1% | 180 |
| Nevada | $38K | -1% | 650 |
| Idaho | $38K | -2% | 70 |
| New Mexico | $38K | -2% | 220 |
| Alaska | $38K | -2% | N/A |
| Kentucky | $38K | -3% | 370 |
| Nebraska | $38K | -3% | 180 |
| West Virginia | $37K | -3% | 110 |
| Michigan | $37K | -3% | 370 |
| Missouri | $37K | -4% | 640 |
| Maryland | $37K | -4% | 650 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | -5% | 1,350 |
| Indiana | $37K | -5% | 380 |
| Virginia | $37K | -5% | 610 |
| Ohio | $36K | -6% | 990 |
| Montana | $36K | -6% | 110 |
| Delaware | $36K | -7% | 180 |
| Louisiana | $36K | -7% | N/A |
| Tennessee | $36K | -8% | 680 |
| Florida | $35K | -8% | 3,090 |
| Arkansas | $35K | -9% | 260 |
| Oklahoma | $35K | -9% | 480 |
| South Carolina | $34K | -12% | 480 |
| Texas | $34K | -13% | 3,640 |
| Alabama | $32K | -17% | 680 |
| Mississippi | $31K | -21% | 200 |
Showing 1–10 of 46 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track switchboard operators, including answering service salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a switchboard operators, including answering service afford a 2BR apartment alone in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 49.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,709/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for switchboard operators, including answering services in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new switchboard operators, including answering services typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,551/month. At HUD’s $1,709/month FMR, rent would take 67% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is switchboard operators, including answering service a high-paying job in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington?
Local pay is 34% above the national median — $52K here vs. $39K nationally.
How does Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington compare to the national average for switchboard operators, including answering services?
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s +34%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.82), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do switchboard operators, including answering services make in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI?
The median is $51,950 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,510, and experienced switchboard operators, including answering services can clear $62,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,473/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,709/month, which eats 49.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a switchboard operators, including answering service salary go in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington?
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington has a Regional Price Parity of 104.82 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median switchboard operators, including answering service salary is worth about $49,561 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do switchboard operators, including answering services get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.