Telemarketer salary in the U.S.
Telemarketers in the U.S. earn a median of $35,450 a year ($17.04 an hour), based on BLS data for 58,430 workers.
Pay ranges from $27,040 for the lowest-paid 10% to $50,350 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $37,370, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for telemarketers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,040 | $13.00 |
| 25th percentile | $29,640 | $14.25 |
| Median | $35,450 | $17.04 |
| 75th percentile | $40,230 | $19.34 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $50,350 | $24.21 |
| Average (mean) | $37,370 | $17.97 |
Half of telemarketers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $2,954.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,477.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,363.46 |
| Weekly | $681.73 |
| Hourly | $17.04 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Telemarketer salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas | $48,010 | n/a |
| Colorado | $47,670 | 880 |
| California | $46,000 | 3,880 |
| Connecticut | $45,200 | 110 |
| Massachusetts | $44,650 | n/a |
| Oregon | $42,060 | 420 |
| New York | $41,400 | 1,960 |
| Minnesota | $39,850 | 650 |
| Washington | $39,670 | 300 |
| Idaho | $39,400 | 280 |
| New Jersey | $39,370 | 410 |
| Arizona | $37,750 | 1,550 |
| Virginia | $37,440 | n/a |
| South Carolina | $37,090 | 1,060 |
| Utah | $36,610 | 390 |
| Georgia | $36,020 | 2,620 |
| Maryland | $35,590 | 540 |
| Florida | $35,570 | 9,760 |
| Ohio | $35,290 | 3,090 |
| Alabama | $34,840 | 1,330 |
| Kentucky | $34,450 | 910 |
| North Carolina | $34,380 | 1,820 |
| Nevada | $34,290 | 2,200 |
| Texas | $34,290 | 3,660 |
| Iowa | $33,640 | 1,100 |
| West Virginia | $33,370 | 440 |
| Wisconsin | $33,260 | 1,160 |
| Michigan | $33,040 | 1,120 |
| Maine | $32,610 | n/a |
| Indiana | $31,550 | 690 |
| Illinois | $31,200 | 870 |
| Nebraska | $31,200 | 490 |
| New Hampshire | $30,530 | 530 |
| Missouri | $29,840 | 2,710 |
| Tennessee | $29,470 | 2,210 |
| Arkansas | $29,060 | 840 |
| Louisiana | $28,910 | 380 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,580 | 1,170 |
| Pennsylvania | $28,430 | 1,710 |
| Oklahoma | $26,880 | 470 |
| North Dakota | $23,440 | 120 |
| Mississippi | $21,540 | 370 |
Best-paying metro areas for telemarketers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $58,900 | n/a |
| Springfield, IL | $50,390 | 30 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $49,700 | 270 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $49,240 | 420 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $47,930 | 620 |
| Rochester, NY | $47,840 | 350 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $47,670 | 100 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $45,710 | 160 |
| Boulder, CO | $45,340 | 70 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $44,900 | 80 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $44,770 | 260 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $44,650 | n/a |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $44,160 | 300 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $43,740 | 130 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $43,620 | 60 |
Metro areas with the most telemarketers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 2,730 | $35,870 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 2,240 | $33,490 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 1,830 | $32,150 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,550 | $42,450 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,220 | $41,400 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,210 | $40,040 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 1,210 | $31,480 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1,170 | $33,900 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,030 | $37,320 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 970 | $38,540 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 840 | $31,200 |
| Columbus, OH | 760 | $37,460 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 750 | $32,170 |
| Springfield, MO | 750 | $29,520 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 720 | $36,200 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Real Estate Sales Agent | $52,830 | $25.40 |
| Sales and Related Workers, All Other | $48,280 | $23.21 |
| Demonstrators and Product Promoters | $39,320 | $18.91 |
| Sales Engineer | $124,900 | $60.05 |
| Real Estate Broker | $73,220 | $35.20 |
| Model | $48,470 | $23.30 |
| Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers | $41,380 | $19.89 |
| Retail Salesperson | $35,410 | $17.03 |
| Cashier | $32,880 | $15.81 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $69,990 | $33.65 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $72,080 | $34.65 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | $48,520 | $23.33 |
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | $78,660 | $37.82 |
| Insurance Sales Agent | $62,280 | $29.94 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 41-9041. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a telemarketer make in the U.S.?
The median salary for telemarketers in the U.S. is $35,450 a year, or $17.04 an hour. Pay ranges from $27,040 for the lowest-paid 10% to $50,350 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid telemarketers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of telemarketers in the U.S. earn at least $50,350 a year. The top 25% earn $40,230 or more.
What is the starting pay for telemarketers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $27,040 a year, and a quarter of telemarketers earn $29,640 or less.
How many telemarketers work in the U.S.?
About 58,430 telemarketers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.