Communications Equipment Operators, All Other
Communications Equipment Operators, All Other (SOC 43-2099) earn a median $54,680 a year ($26.29 an hour) in the United States, with 1,200 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Missouri.
What communications equipment operators, all other do
This is the residual category for communications equipment operators whose work does not fit the named switchboard or telephone operator occupations. The alternate titles O*NET lists show the range: fax machine operators, news wire photo operators, interceptor operators, pay station attendants, protective signal operators, and oil dispatchers. What such jobs share is working a piece of communications equipment, receiving or sending messages by voice, text, or image, and passing them on to the right person or place. Because the category collects miscellaneous jobs, the tasks vary widely, and one position may bear little resemblance to another in the group. Switchboard operators and telephone operators have their own codes, as do dispatchers, and they are not counted here. Where a job is mostly one of those named activities, it is classified there rather than in this group, so the residual category stays small and mixed.
Also called: Communications Equipment Operator, Equipment Operator, Facsimile Machine Operator, Fax Machine Operator, Interceptor Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.70 | $22.34 | $26.29 | $37.73 | $45.50 | $29.87 | 1,200 |
| Annual | $38,900 | $46,460 | $54,680 | $78,470 | $94,640 | $62,130 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where communications equipment operators, all other earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Missouri | Hourly | $22.33 | $29.63 | $41.84 | $42.51 | $45.50 | $36.94 | 50 | 0.02 | 2.40 |
| Annual | $46,440 | $61,620 | $87,030 | $88,420 | $94,640 | $76,820 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $22.28 | $25.35 | $38.20 | $45.47 | $49.79 | $35.92 | 450 | 0.02 | 3.17 |
| Annual | $46,330 | $52,730 | $79,450 | $94,570 | $103,570 | $74,710 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $23.20 | $25.72 | $28.08 | $28.50 | $30.33 | $27.58 | 110 | 0.01 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $48,260 | $53,490 | $58,410 | $59,280 | $63,080 | $57,360 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $23.49 | $24.77 | $26.20 | $31.87 | $43.12 | $29.46 | 40 | 0.01 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $48,860 | $51,510 | $54,500 | $66,290 | $89,700 | $61,270 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $24.31 | $26.20 | $26.20 | $39.90 | $45.12 | $30.25 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $50,570 | $54,500 | $54,500 | $82,990 | $93,850 | $62,910 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $22.28 | $25.35 | $38.20 | $45.47 | $49.79 | $35.92 | 450 | 0.02 | 3.17 |
| Annual | $46,330 | $52,730 | $79,450 | $94,570 | $103,570 | $74,710 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $23.20 | $25.72 | $28.08 | $28.50 | $30.33 | $27.58 | 110 | 0.01 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $48,260 | $53,490 | $58,410 | $59,280 | $63,080 | $57,360 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $19.95 | $22.57 | $22.77 | $23.92 | $24.95 | $23.10 | 60 | 0.01 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $41,500 | $46,950 | $47,360 | $49,750 | $51,900 | $48,050 | ||||
| Missouri | Hourly | $22.33 | $29.63 | $41.84 | $42.51 | $45.50 | $36.94 | 50 | 0.02 | 2.40 |
| Annual | $46,440 | $61,620 | $87,030 | $88,420 | $94,640 | $76,820 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $16.82 | $18.00 | $23.34 | $26.24 | $30.66 | $23.37 | 40 | 0.02 | 2.91 |
| Annual | $34,980 | $37,450 | $48,560 | $54,580 | $63,770 | $48,620 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.28 | $22.28 | $29.15 | $38.99 | $47.94 | $31.54 | 170 | 0.03 | 3.49 |
| Annual | $46,330 | $46,330 | $60,630 | $81,100 | $99,700 | $65,610 | ||||
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | Hourly | $10.50 | $10.50 | $10.99 | $11.95 | $17.71 | $12.19 | 180 | 0.27 | 34.49 |
| Annual | $21,840 | $21,840 | $22,850 | $24,860 | $36,850 | $25,360 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | Hourly | $10.50 | $10.50 | $10.99 | $11.95 | $17.71 | $12.19 | 180 | 0.27 | 34.49 |
| Annual | $21,840 | $21,840 | $22,850 | $24,860 | $36,850 | $25,360 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.28 | $22.28 | $29.15 | $38.99 | $47.94 | $31.54 | 170 | 0.03 | 3.49 |
| Annual | $46,330 | $46,330 | $60,630 | $81,100 | $99,700 | $65,610 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 50 | 0.03 | 4.24 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
Top industries employing communications equipment operators, all other
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) employ 25.8% of communications equipment operators, all other nationally (310 jobs) at a median $78,200 a year ($37.60 an hour), followed by Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) (11.7%) and State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (10.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 310 | 25.8% | $78,200 | $37.60 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 140 | 11.7% | $56,620 | $27.22 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 120 | 10.0% | $50,530 | $24.30 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 40 | 3.3% | $42,000 | $20.19 |
| Traveler Accommodation NAICS 721100 | 40 | 3.3% | $37,880 | $18.21 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (1,200). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $47,000 for communications equipment operators, all other in May 2021 and $54,680 in May 2025, with employment of 1,340 and 1,200.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $47,000 | $22.60 | 1,340 |
| May 2022 | $46,180 | $22.20 | 1,240 |
| May 2023 | $49,310 | $23.71 | 1,380 |
| May 2024 | $49,910 | $24.00 | 1,390 |
| May 2025 | $54,680 | $26.29 | 1,200 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
9 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Missouri profile | $41.84 | $87,030 | $46,440 | $94,640 | 50 | 0.02 | 2.40 |
| 2 | California profile | $38.20 | $79,450 | $46,330 | $103,570 | 450 | 0.02 | 3.17 |
| 3 | Texas profile | $28.08 | $58,410 | $48,260 | $63,080 | 110 | 0.01 | 1.05 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $26.20 | $54,500 | $48,860 | $89,700 | 40 | 0.01 | 1.47 |
| 5 | Minnesota profile | $26.20 | $54,500 | $50,570 | $93,850 | ** | ** | ** |
| 6 | Michigan profile | $24.96 | $51,920 | $47,400 | $54,210 | 40 | 0.01 | 1.03 |
| 7 | Louisiana profile | $23.34 | $48,560 | $34,980 | $63,770 | 40 | 0.02 | 2.91 |
| 8 | Ohio profile | $22.77 | $47,360 | $41,500 | $51,900 | 60 | 0.01 | 1.40 |
| 9 | North Carolina profile | $22.32 | $46,430 | $40,330 | $54,950 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.87 |
Part of Office and Administrative Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 43-2099 Communications Equipment Operators, All Other.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 43-2099, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 43-2099.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.