Telemarketers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for telemarketers in the U.S. is $35,450 ($17.04 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $35,450
- Mean annual wage
- $37,370
- Median hourly wage
- $17.04
- Employment
- 58,430
58,430 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $27,040 | $13.00 |
| 25th percentile | $29,640 | $14.25 |
| Median (50th) | $35,450 | $17.04 |
| 75th percentile | $40,230 | $19.34 |
| 90th percentile | $50,350 | $24.21 |
Highest-paying states for telemarketers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas | $48,010 | — |
| Colorado | $47,670 | 880 |
| California | $46,000 | 3,880 |
| Connecticut | $45,200 | 110 |
| Massachusetts | $44,650 | — |
| Oregon | $42,060 | 420 |
| New York | $41,400 | 1,960 |
| Minnesota | $39,850 | 650 |
| Washington | $39,670 | 300 |
| Idaho | $39,400 | 280 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $21,540 median annual wage
- North Dakota: $23,440 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $26,880 median annual wage
- Pennsylvania: $28,430 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $28,910 median annual wage
About this occupation
Solicit donations or orders for goods or services over the telephone.
Typical tasks
- Deliver prepared sales talks, reading from scripts that describe products or services, to persuade potential customers to purchase a product or service or to make a donation.
- Telephone or write letters to respond to correspondence from customers or to follow up initial sales contacts.
- Record names, addresses, purchases, and reactions of prospects contacted.
- Explain products or services and prices, and answer questions from customers.
- Obtain customer information such as name, address, and payment method, and enter orders into computers.
- Maintain records of contacts, accounts, and orders.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: No formal educational credential
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 3.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 27.5% |
| Some college, no degree | 32.1% |
| Associate's degree | 13.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 20.1% |
| Master's degree | 3.1% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.5% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Retail Salespersons$35,410
- Cashiers$32,880
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$69,990
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$72,080
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$48,520
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$78,660
- Insurance Sales Agents$62,280
- Counter and Rental Clerks$41,300
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.