JobAfterNext

Customer Service Representatives

Interact with customers to provide basic or scripted information in response to routine inquiries about products and services. May handle and resolve general complaints. Excludes individuals whose duties are primarily installation, sales, repair, and technical support.

Wages

Median annual wage, U.S.$44,770
Employment, U.S.2,595,750
Median hourly wage$21.53
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$31,750$36,870$44,770$51,780$63,590
By state (51)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama33,290$38,4000.94
Alaska2,410$45,1500.44
Arizona87,020$45,6901.61
Arkansas20,680$37,8400.95
California176,850$49,5600.58
Colorado38,770$47,5400.81
Connecticut24,490$48,0900.86
Delaware7,470$48,1900.92
District of Columbia7,550$48,2500.64
Florida228,000$40,4401.38
Georgia97,850$39,6301.20
Hawaii8,010$45,6500.76
Idaho18,770$43,2001.31
Illinois100,970$46,1300.99
Indiana44,630$43,1400.84
Iowa30,100$46,0901.16
Kansas29,200$40,3201.22
Kentucky38,630$38,7001.16
Louisiana25,780$37,3300.80
Maine7,560$47,1600.71
Maryland37,740$42,8300.82
Massachusetts49,990$49,1200.82
Michigan71,310$43,9500.97
Minnesota53,340$48,8001.08
Mississippi20,860$36,3801.07
Missouri50,530$44,1901.03
Montana4,910$45,2900.57
Nebraska15,340$43,9400.90
Nevada32,110$40,5601.24
New Hampshire12,750$47,3001.12
New Jersey59,690$47,7400.83
New Mexico16,950$39,0301.17
New York141,090$48,0000.87
North Carolina89,510$40,2401.09
North Dakota5,750$44,6700.80
Ohio85,930$45,6100.93
Oklahoma34,460$38,6501.21
Oregon19,440$47,4500.59
Pennsylvania94,340$44,6300.93
Rhode Island7,890$47,5500.94
South Carolina51,000$38,8601.33
South Dakota6,120$40,6500.80
Tennessee59,730$42,8301.09
Texas337,170$40,4201.44
Utah44,490$43,1401.54
Vermont2,870$47,5000.57
Virginia59,850$42,7300.87
Washington39,760$50,3300.67
West Virginia9,860$38,4300.84
Wisconsin50,840$46,9701.04
Wyoming2,110$42,3400.45

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
1Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel1-20.974
2New Accounts Clerks30.970
3Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks1-20.968
4Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks1-20.962
5Insurance Sales Agents40.962
6Loan Officers40.962
7Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan30.962
8Brokerage Clerks30.961
9Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs30.961
10Insurance Underwriters40.961

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Customer Service Representatives, 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
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk ClerksManagement of Personnel Resources0.880.968
Retail SalespersonsPersuasion1.000.955
Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related WorkersPersuasion1.000.949
First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services WorkersManagement of Personnel Resources1.380.945
Procurement ClerksReading Comprehension0.880.940
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and SearchersReading Comprehension0.880.940

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Customer Service Representatives, excluding software Customer Service Representatives 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
Fannie Mae Desktop Underwriter3 of 2046.2x
Billing software3 of 206.3x
Inventory management systems3 of 204.8x
Web browser software13 of 201.4x
Scheduling software3 of 202.0x
Adobe InDesign3 of 201.6x
Email software5 of 200.8x

Skills

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

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Active ListeningEssential skill 4.00 4.00
Service OrientationTransferable skill 4.00 3.62
SpeakingEssential skill 3.88 3.75
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 3.38 3.12
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.25 3.50
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.12 3.00
Time ManagementTransferable skill 3.12 3.00
MonitoringEssential skill 3.00 3.00
NegotiationTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
PersuasionTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
WritingEssential skill 3.00 3.00
CoordinationTransferable skill 2.88 3.00
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 2.88 3.00
Active LearningEssential skill 2.88 2.88
InstructingTransferable skill 2.75 2.88
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 2.62 2.88
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.38 2.12
MathematicsEssential skill 2.25 2.25
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 2.25 2.12
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 2.25 2.12
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.88 0.88
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 1.75 1.00
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.62 0.62
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.50 0.62
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.38 0.50
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 1.38 0.50
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 1.12not rated
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 1.00not rated
InstallationTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Operation and ControlTransferable 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
Customer and Personal Service 4.70 5.67
English Language 3.92 3.47
Administration and Management 3.51 3.40
Sales and Marketing 3.45 3.71
Mathematics 3.34 3.38
Administrative 3.29 3.78
Computers and Electronics 3.28 3.49
Economics and Accounting 2.91 2.38
Public Safety and Security 2.82 1.96
Education and Training 2.55 1.81
Personnel and Human Resources 2.46 1.67
Telecommunications 2.39 1.33
Psychology 2.22 2.04
Communications and Media 2.13 1.59
Transportation 2.13 1.43
Production and Processing 2.01 1.40
Law and Government 1.99 1.11
Sociology and Anthropology 1.75not rated
Medicine and Dentistry 1.69not rated
Geography 1.63 1.22
Engineering and Technology 1.60 0.79
Therapy and Counseling 1.58not rated
Foreign Language 1.45 0.66
Philosophy and Theology 1.44not rated
Mechanical 1.34not rated
Building and Construction 1.31not rated
Chemistry 1.30not rated
Design 1.29not rated
Physics 1.29not rated
Biology 1.25not rated
Food Production 1.14not rated
History and Archeology 1.08not rated
Fine Arts 1.07not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Oral Expression 4.12 3.88
Oral Comprehension 4.12 3.75
Speech Clarity 4.00 3.25
Speech Recognition 4.00 3.25
Problem Sensitivity 3.88 3.25
Near Vision 3.62 3.25
Written Expression 3.62 3.12
Written Comprehension 3.38 3.12
Deductive Reasoning 3.25 3.12
Inductive Reasoning 3.12 3.12
Information Ordering 3.12 3.00
Selective Attention 2.88 2.88
Category Flexibility 2.75 2.88
Flexibility of Closure 2.75 2.88
Fluency of Ideas 2.75 2.62
Originality 2.75 2.62
Mathematical Reasoning 2.75 2.12
Memorization 2.50 2.12
Perceptual Speed 2.38 2.38
Number Facility 2.38 2.25
Finger Dexterity 2.38 2.12
Speed of Closure 2.38 2.12
Far Vision 2.25 2.62
Time Sharing 2.25 2.12
Auditory Attention 2.25 2.00
Visualization 2.12 2.12
Hearing Sensitivity 2.00 1.88
Visual Color Discrimination 2.00 1.88
Arm-Hand Steadiness 2.00 1.62
Manual Dexterity 2.00 1.38
Control Precision 1.88 1.00
Wrist-Finger Speed 1.50 0.62
Trunk Strength 1.38 0.62
Dynamic Strength 1.38 0.38
Extent Flexibility 1.38 0.38
Static Strength 1.38 0.38
Depth Perception 1.25not rated
Explosive Strength 1.25not rated
Gross Body Coordination 1.25not rated
Multilimb Coordination 1.25not rated
Stamina 1.25not rated
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.12not rated
Dynamic Flexibility 1.00not rated
Glare Sensitivity 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

Software used

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

All 112
  • Apple Keynote
  • Applied Systems Vision
  • Astute Solutions PowerCenter
  • Austin Logistics CallSelect
  • Austin Logistics CallTech
  • Austin Logistics Valeo
  • Avidian Technologies Prophet
  • Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge
  • Citrix cloud computing software
  • Customer account management software
  • Customer complaint ticketing management software
  • Customer service and support software
  • Customer service knowledge generation software
  • DSC Pacer Interactive Voice Response System
  • Data entry software
  • Database software
  • Delphi Technology
  • Dropbox
  • FaceTime
  • FileMaker Pro
  • Fund accounting software
  • Google Drive
  • Google Meet
  • Google Sites
  • GroupMe
  • Handheld computer device software
  • Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS
  • Hosted Support ezSupport Pro
  • Human resource management software HRMS
  • IBM Cognos Impromptu
  • IBM Domino
  • IBM Notes
  • IBM Power Systems software
  • LexisNexis
  • LinkedIn
  • LogMeIn GoToMeeting
  • Lynk Everest
  • Main Street Softworks Monetra
  • McAfee
  • Medical condition coding software
  • Medical procedure coding software
  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • Microsoft Dynamics GP
  • Microsoft Exchange
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer
  • Microsoft OneNote
  • Microsoft Publisher
  • Multi-channel contact center software
  • Nearpod
  • NetSuite ERP
  • NortonLifeLock cybersecurity software
  • Open Text Fax Server, RightFax Edition
  • Oracle E-Business Suite Financials
  • Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
  • Oracle Taleo
  • Padlet
  • Parature eRealtime
  • Parature eTicket
  • Poll Everywhere
  • SAP Business Objects
  • SAP Crystal Reports
  • Sage 50 Accounting
  • Sage MAS 200 ERP
  • Sales force automation software
  • Salesforce.com Salesforce CRM
  • ShoreTel
  • Skype
  • Social media sites
  • Stamps.com software
  • SugarSync
  • Tax software
  • Telemation e-CRM
  • Timpani Chat
  • Timpani Contact Center
  • Timpani Email
  • Unified messaging software
  • Virtual private networking VPN software
  • Voice over internet protocol VoIP system software
  • YouTube
  • eStara Softphone
  • iShip
  • j2 Global Communications onebox

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
Abilene, TX2,5502.03$36,830
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT26,6201.93$45,410
Dubuque, IA1,8801.92$46,670
El Paso, TX10,6801.89$37,640
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX4,8801.86$38,350
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX34,7301.85$42,720
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA12,0701.79$48,880
Pocatello, ID1,1301.78$37,940
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ68,9301.74$46,410
Saginaw, MI2,3201.73$36,150

More metros, other thresholds