JobAfterNext

Telemarketers

Solicit donations or orders for goods or services over the telephone.

Wages

Median annual wage, U.S.$35,450
Employment, U.S.58,430
Median hourly wage$17.04
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$27,040$29,640$35,450$40,230$50,350
By state (41)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama1,330$34,8401.68
Arizona1,550$37,7501.27
Arkansas840$29,0601.71
California3,880$46,0000.57
Colorado880$47,6700.82
Connecticut110$45,2000.18
Florida9,760$35,5702.62
Georgia2,620$36,0201.43
Idaho280$39,4000.86
Illinois870$31,2000.38
Indiana690$31,5500.57
Iowa1,100$33,6401.88
Kansas$48,010
Kentucky910$34,4501.21
Louisiana380$28,9100.53
Maine$32,610
Maryland540$35,5900.52
Massachusetts$44,650
Michigan1,120$33,0400.68
Minnesota650$39,8500.59
Mississippi370$21,5400.84
Missouri2,710$29,8402.45
Nebraska490$31,2001.29
Nevada2,200$34,2903.77
New Hampshire530$30,5302.07
New Jersey410$39,3700.26
New York1,960$41,4000.54
North Carolina1,820$34,3800.98
North Dakota120$23,4400.75
Ohio3,090$35,2901.48
Oklahoma470$26,8800.72
Oregon420$42,0600.57
Pennsylvania1,710$28,4300.75
South Carolina1,060$37,0901.22
Tennessee2,210$29,4701.79
Texas3,660$34,2900.69
Utah390$36,6100.59
Virginia$37,440
Washington300$39,6700.22
West Virginia440$33,3701.67
Wisconsin1,160$33,2601.05

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers1-20.954
2Advertising Sales Agents30.936
3Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products40.934
4Travel Agents30.931
5Insurance Sales Agents40.931
6Customer Service Representatives1-20.930
7Retail Salespersons1-20.929
8New Accounts Clerks30.927
9Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel1-20.923
10Fundraisers40.923

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Telemarketers, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Counter and Rental ClerksMonitoring0.760.897

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Telemarketers, excluding software Telemarketers already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
LinkedIn8 of 207.0x
Facebook11 of 203.8x
Microsoft Publisher8 of 203.9x
FileMaker Pro8 of 203.9x
Google Ads5 of 207.7x
Yardi software5 of 207.2x
Tax software5 of 206.8x
Apple macOS6 of 204.9x
LexisNexis6 of 204.9x
Intuit QuickBooks7 of 203.8x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
SpeakingEssential skill 4.12 3.75
PersuasionTransferable skill 4.12 3.62
Active ListeningEssential skill 4.00 3.88
Service OrientationTransferable skill 3.50 3.12
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 3.25 3.25
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 3.25 3.00
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.00 3.12
NegotiationTransferable skill 3.00 2.62
WritingEssential skill 2.50 2.50
CoordinationTransferable skill 2.50 2.25
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 2.38 2.12
Time ManagementTransferable skill 2.38 2.12
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 2.38 2.00
MonitoringEssential skill 2.25 2.12
InstructingTransferable skill 2.25 1.25
Active LearningEssential skill 2.00 1.62
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 1.75 0.88
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 1.62 1.12
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 1.62 0.88
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 1.50 0.75
MathematicsEssential skill 1.38 0.50
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.38 0.38
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.25not rated
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 1.25not rated
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 1.25not rated
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.25not rated
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.25not rated
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 1.12not rated
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 1.12not rated
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 1.00not rated
InstallationTransferable skill 1.00not rated
RepairingTransferable skill 1.00not rated
ScienceEssential skill 1.00not rated
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Sales and Marketing 4.32 4.76
Customer and Personal Service 4.02 4.20
English Language 3.77 3.83
Computers and Electronics 3.12 3.18
Administration and Management 3.12 2.49
Communications and Media 3.06 2.79
Administrative 2.73 3.59
Law and Government 2.53 2.40
Telecommunications 2.48 0.89
Mathematics 2.33 2.14
Economics and Accounting 2.30 2.23
Education and Training 2.23 1.83
Psychology 2.09 2.08
Geography 2.00not rated
Philosophy and Theology 1.99not rated
Fine Arts 1.85not rated
Transportation 1.85 1.23
Public Safety and Security 1.80 0.95
History and Archeology 1.79not rated
Personnel and Human Resources 1.61 0.84
Sociology and Anthropology 1.56not rated
Production and Processing 1.53not rated
Physics 1.46not rated
Engineering and Technology 1.45not rated
Foreign Language 1.41 0.59
Design 1.37not rated
Therapy and Counseling 1.31not rated
Chemistry 1.25not rated
Food Production 1.23not rated
Mechanical 1.23not rated
Biology 1.11not rated
Medicine and Dentistry 1.06not rated
Building and Construction 1.05not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Oral Comprehension 4.00 3.75
Oral Expression 4.00 3.75
Speech Clarity 3.75 3.75
Speech Recognition 3.62 3.50
Written Comprehension 3.12 3.00
Selective Attention 3.12 2.62
Near Vision 2.88 3.00
Problem Sensitivity 2.88 2.62
Written Expression 2.75 2.88
Deductive Reasoning 2.75 2.62
Inductive Reasoning 2.62 2.62
Information Ordering 2.62 2.12
Category Flexibility 2.25 2.25
Fluency of Ideas 2.25 2.25
Originality 2.25 2.12
Time Sharing 2.12 2.12
Auditory Attention 2.12 1.62
Memorization 1.88 1.50
Flexibility of Closure 1.88 1.25
Finger Dexterity 1.75 1.12
Hearing Sensitivity 1.75 1.12
Number Facility 1.75 1.00
Speed of Closure 1.75 0.75
Trunk Strength 1.62 1.12
Far Vision 1.62 1.00
Arm-Hand Steadiness 1.62 0.75
Mathematical Reasoning 1.62 0.75
Visualization 1.62 0.75
Wrist-Finger Speed 1.62 0.62
Perceptual Speed 1.50 0.75
Visual Color Discrimination 1.50 0.62
Control Precision 1.50 0.50
Manual Dexterity 1.50 0.50
Depth Perception 1.25not rated
Dynamic Flexibility 1.00not rated
Dynamic Strength 1.00not rated
Explosive Strength 1.00not rated
Extent Flexibility 1.00not rated
Glare Sensitivity 1.00not rated
Gross Body Coordination 1.00not rated
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.00not rated
Multilimb Coordination 1.00not rated
Night Vision 1.00not rated
Peripheral Vision 1.00not rated
Rate Control 1.00not rated
Reaction Time 1.00not rated
Response Orientation 1.00not rated
Sound Localization 1.00not rated
Spatial Orientation 1.00not rated
Speed of Limb Movement 1.00not rated
Stamina 1.00not rated
Static Strength 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

Where it concentrates

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Sebring, FL1009.87$36,670
Springfield, MO7508.99$29,520
Cleveland, TN1006.48$28,040
Canton-Massillon, OH2804.49$29,240
El Paso, TX5604.42$28,340
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV1,8304.28$32,150
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL2,2404.22$33,490
Appleton, WI1803.82$35,670
Savannah, GA2703.62$29,830
Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC4602.83$39,750

More metros, other thresholds