Telemarketers
Telemarketers (SOC 41-9041) earn a median $35,450 a year ($17.04 an hour) in the United States, with 58,430 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Kansas.
What telemarketers do
Telemarketers ask for donations or orders for goods and services over the telephone. They call businesses or private individuals to solicit sales or charitable gifts, and they also take calls from potential customers who were drawn in by advertisements. Many deliver prepared sales talks, reading from scripts about a product or service to persuade people to buy or donate. They explain what is offered and the prices, answer customers' questions, collect details such as name, address, and payment method, and key orders into a computer. They log the names, addresses, purchases, and reactions of the prospects they reach, keep records of contacts, accounts, and orders, and phone or write to answer correspondence or follow up on first contacts. Call center agent and call center telemarketer are alternate names for the job.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual education level (about 39 percent).
Also called: Call Agent, Call Center Agent, Call Center Operator, Call Center Representative (Call Center Rep), Call Center Sales Agent.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.00 | $14.25 | $17.04 | $19.34 | $24.21 | $17.97 | 58,430 |
| Annual | $27,040 | $29,640 | $35,450 | $40,230 | $50,350 | $37,370 | ||
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 telemarketers 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 | ||||||
| Kansas | Hourly | $10.57 | $11.84 | $23.08 | $24.20 | $24.20 | $18.30 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $21,980 | $24,620 | $48,010 | $50,330 | $50,330 | $38,050 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $16.32 | $19.10 | $22.92 | $30.25 | $37.02 | $24.71 | 880 | 0.31 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $33,940 | $39,730 | $47,670 | $62,920 | $77,000 | $51,400 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $16.50 | $17.93 | $22.12 | $27.36 | $29.04 | $22.67 | 3,880 | 0.21 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $34,320 | $37,290 | $46,000 | $56,910 | $60,400 | $47,160 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $17.77 | $19.95 | $21.73 | $28.32 | $28.32 | $23.19 | 110 | 0.07 | 0.18 |
| Annual | $36,970 | $41,490 | $45,200 | $58,900 | $58,900 | $48,240 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $17.72 | $21.46 | $21.46 | $22.23 | $27.66 | $21.99 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $36,860 | $44,650 | $44,650 | $46,240 | $57,540 | $45,740 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.00 | $13.30 | $17.10 | $17.50 | $20.15 | $16.68 | 9,760 | 0.98 | 2.62 |
| Annual | $27,040 | $27,660 | $35,570 | $36,400 | $41,910 | $34,690 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $16.50 | $17.93 | $22.12 | $27.36 | $29.04 | $22.67 | 3,880 | 0.21 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $34,320 | $37,290 | $46,000 | $56,910 | $60,400 | $47,160 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $11.26 | $13.68 | $16.49 | $18.90 | $24.77 | $17.44 | 3,660 | 0.26 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $23,420 | $28,460 | $34,290 | $39,310 | $51,520 | $36,280 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $11.99 | $13.96 | $16.97 | $18.05 | $20.89 | $16.57 | 3,090 | 0.56 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $24,940 | $29,030 | $35,290 | $37,540 | $43,450 | $34,470 | ||||
| Missouri | Hourly | $13.75 | $14.00 | $14.35 | $16.17 | $17.85 | $15.99 | 2,710 | 0.92 | 2.45 |
| Annual | $28,600 | $29,120 | $29,840 | $33,640 | $37,120 | $33,250 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | Hourly | $23.74 | $28.32 | $28.32 | $28.32 | $28.32 | $27.31 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $49,390 | $58,900 | $58,900 | $58,900 | $58,900 | $56,790 | ||||
| Springfield, IL | Hourly | $17.41 | $17.41 | $24.23 | $30.00 | $31.15 | $24.55 | 30 | 0.32 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $36,210 | $36,210 | $50,390 | $62,390 | $64,790 | $51,060 | ||||
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | Hourly | $14.07 | $14.62 | $23.89 | $25.13 | $25.28 | $21.46 | 270 | 0.21 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $29,270 | $30,400 | $49,700 | $52,270 | $52,580 | $44,630 | ||||
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | Hourly | $13.57 | $15.46 | $23.67 | $30.38 | $30.87 | $24.28 | 420 | 0.31 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $28,230 | $32,170 | $49,240 | $63,190 | $64,200 | $50,500 | ||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $16.64 | $21.32 | $23.04 | $30.25 | $37.77 | $26.10 | 620 | 0.39 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $34,620 | $44,350 | $47,930 | $62,920 | $78,570 | $54,280 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $13.46 | $15.10 | $17.25 | $17.90 | $20.15 | $17.36 | 2,730 | 0.97 | 2.58 |
| Annual | $27,990 | $31,400 | $35,870 | $37,230 | $41,910 | $36,110 | ||||
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | Hourly | $13.00 | $13.00 | $16.10 | $17.29 | $22.54 | $16.23 | 2,240 | 1.59 | 4.22 |
| Annual | $27,040 | $27,040 | $33,490 | $35,960 | $46,890 | $33,750 | ||||
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | Hourly | $12.41 | $12.43 | $15.46 | $17.15 | $19.50 | $15.78 | 1,830 | 1.61 | 4.28 |
| Annual | $25,820 | $25,840 | $32,150 | $35,670 | $40,560 | $32,810 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.50 | $16.77 | $20.41 | $27.76 | $28.05 | $21.85 | 1,550 | 0.25 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $34,320 | $34,870 | $42,450 | $57,740 | $58,340 | $45,460 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.90 | $18.90 | $19.91 | $22.50 | $28.24 | $21.39 | 1,220 | 0.13 | 0.34 |
| Annual | $35,160 | $39,300 | $41,400 | $46,790 | $58,750 | $44,490 | ||||
Top industries employing telemarketers
Business Support Services employ 64.3% of telemarketers nationally (37,590 jobs) at a median $33,350 a year ($16.03 an hour), followed by Insurance Carriers (4.0%) and Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (4.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Support Services NAICS 561400 | 37,590 | 64.3% | $33,350 | $16.03 |
| Insurance Carriers NAICS 524100 | 2,350 | 4.0% | $46,380 | $22.30 |
| Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities NAICS 524200 | 2,330 | 4.0% | $35,870 | $17.25 |
| Telecommunications NAICS 517000 | 1,190 | 2.0% | * | * |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers NAICS 423400 | 1,170 | 2.0% | $56,910 | $27.36 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (58,430). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $28,910 for telemarketers in May 2021 and $35,450 in May 2025, with employment of 115,130 and 58,430.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $28,910 | $13.90 | 115,130 |
| May 2022 | $31,030 | $14.92 | 96,520 |
| May 2023 | $34,480 | $16.58 | 81,580 |
| May 2024 | $34,410 | $16.54 | 66,430 |
| May 2025 | $35,450 | $17.04 | 58,430 |
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
41 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 | Kansas profile | $23.08 | $48,010 | $21,980 | $50,330 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2 | Colorado profile | $22.92 | $47,670 | $33,940 | $77,000 | 880 | 0.31 | 0.82 |
| 3 | California profile | $22.12 | $46,000 | $34,320 | $60,400 | 3,880 | 0.21 | 0.57 |
| 4 | Connecticut profile | $21.73 | $45,200 | $36,970 | $58,900 | 110 | 0.07 | 0.18 |
| 5 | Massachusetts profile | $21.46 | $44,650 | $36,860 | $57,540 | ** | ** | ** |
| 6 | Oregon profile | $20.22 | $42,060 | $33,970 | $48,140 | 420 | 0.22 | 0.57 |
| 7 | New York profile | $19.91 | $41,400 | $34,290 | $59,840 | 1,960 | 0.20 | 0.54 |
| 8 | Minnesota profile | $19.16 | $39,850 | $29,680 | $65,940 | 650 | 0.22 | 0.59 |
| 9 | Washington profile | $19.07 | $39,670 | $34,940 | $50,350 | 300 | 0.08 | 0.22 |
| 10 | Idaho profile | $18.94 | $39,400 | $26,260 | $41,440 | 280 | 0.33 | 0.86 |
| 11 | New Jersey profile | $18.93 | $39,370 | $33,230 | $46,790 | 410 | 0.10 | 0.26 |
| 12 | Arizona profile | $18.15 | $37,750 | $30,580 | $51,490 | 1,550 | 0.48 | 1.27 |
| 13 | Virginia profile | $18.00 | $37,440 | $30,960 | $62,050 | ** | ** | ** |
| 14 | South Carolina profile | $17.83 | $37,090 | $21,600 | $44,910 | 1,060 | 0.46 | 1.22 |
| 15 | Utah profile | $17.60 | $36,610 | $29,520 | $47,590 | 390 | 0.22 | 0.59 |
| 16 | Georgia profile | $17.32 | $36,020 | $28,580 | $41,690 | 2,620 | 0.54 | 1.43 |
| 17 | Maryland profile | $17.11 | $35,590 | $31,410 | $52,620 | 540 | 0.20 | 0.52 |
| 18 | Florida profile | $17.10 | $35,570 | $27,040 | $41,910 | 9,760 | 0.98 | 2.62 |
| 19 | Ohio profile | $16.97 | $35,290 | $24,940 | $43,450 | 3,090 | 0.56 | 1.48 |
| 20 | Alabama profile | $16.75 | $34,840 | $29,740 | $35,460 | 1,330 | 0.63 | 1.68 |
| 21 | Kentucky profile | $16.56 | $34,450 | $29,090 | $48,720 | 910 | 0.45 | 1.21 |
| 22 | North Carolina profile | $16.53 | $34,380 | $27,380 | $52,500 | 1,820 | 0.37 | 0.98 |
| 23 | Nevada profile | $16.49 | $34,290 | $25,820 | $48,010 | 2,200 | 1.42 | 3.77 |
| 24 | Texas profile | $16.49 | $34,290 | $23,420 | $51,520 | 3,660 | 0.26 | 0.69 |
| 25 | Iowa profile | $16.17 | $33,640 | $28,190 | $39,580 | 1,100 | 0.71 | 1.88 |
| 26 | West Virginia profile | $16.04 | $33,370 | $21,770 | $34,830 | 440 | 0.63 | 1.67 |
| 27 | Wisconsin profile | $15.99 | $33,260 | $28,750 | $47,570 | 1,160 | 0.39 | 1.05 |
| 28 | Michigan profile | $15.89 | $33,040 | $25,960 | $38,310 | 1,120 | 0.25 | 0.68 |
| 29 | Maine profile | $15.68 | $32,610 | $30,470 | $63,330 | ** | ** | ** |
| 30 | Indiana profile | $15.17 | $31,550 | $21,650 | $39,870 | 690 | 0.21 | 0.57 |
| 31 | Illinois profile | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $71,340 | 870 | 0.14 | 0.38 |
| 32 | Nebraska profile | $15.00 | $31,200 | $28,080 | $60,920 | 490 | 0.48 | 1.29 |
| 33 | New Hampshire profile | $14.68 | $30,530 | $21,980 | $65,930 | 530 | 0.78 | 2.07 |
| 34 | Missouri profile | $14.35 | $29,840 | $28,600 | $37,120 | 2,710 | 0.92 | 2.45 |
| 35 | Tennessee profile | $14.17 | $29,470 | $21,280 | $48,340 | 2,210 | 0.67 | 1.79 |
| 36 | Arkansas profile | $13.97 | $29,060 | $28,450 | $37,130 | 840 | 0.64 | 1.71 |
| 37 | Louisiana profile | $13.90 | $28,910 | $23,440 | $43,030 | 380 | 0.20 | 0.53 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania profile | $13.67 | $28,430 | $20,800 | $38,140 | 1,710 | 0.28 | 0.75 |
| 39 | Oklahoma profile | $12.92 | $26,880 | $24,730 | $36,720 | 470 | 0.27 | 0.72 |
| 40 | North Dakota profile | $11.27 | $23,440 | $21,080 | $40,400 | 120 | 0.28 | 0.75 |
| 41 | Mississippi profile | $10.35 | $21,540 | $19,780 | $29,800 | 370 | 0.32 | 0.84 |
Part of Sales and Related 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 41-9041 Telemarketers.
*- 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. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.
- 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 41-9041, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 41-9041.00, 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.