Telephone Operators Salary in Columbus, OH
In Columbus, OH, telephone operators earn $39,030 at the median, or about $18.77 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.47), that's roughly $40,882 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,430/month — about 53.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Columbus?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbus’s Regional Price Parity (95.47). 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 telephone operators
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbus, OH
Entry-level telephone operators (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $7K spread from bottom to top.
Telephone Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $57K | +45% | 190 |
| New York | $54K | +37% | 350 |
| Hawaii | $52K | +33% | 40 |
| District of Columbia | $48K | +22% | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $46K | +19% | N/A |
| Maryland | $41K | +5% | 110 |
| New Jersey | $41K | +4% | 230 |
| Connecticut | $41K | +4% | 30 |
| Michigan | $40K | +3% | 60 |
| Ohio | $38K | -3% | 190 |
| Kentucky | $38K | -3% | 100 |
| Wisconsin | $38K | -3% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -4% | 40 |
| Texas | $37K | -6% | 640 |
| Georgia | $37K | -7% | 140 |
| South Carolina | $36K | -8% | 70 |
| Pennsylvania | $36K | -8% | 400 |
| Louisiana | $34K | -13% | 80 |
Showing 1–10 of 18 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track telephone operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbus numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do telephone operators make in Columbus, OH?
The median is $39,030 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,550, and experienced telephone operators can clear $45,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Columbus?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,753/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,430/month, which eats 51.9% 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 telephone operators salary go in Columbus?
Columbus has a Regional Price Parity of 95.47 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median telephone operators salary is worth about $40,882 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do telephone operators 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.