Telemarketers: Salary Overview
Telemarketers try to find customers or donors through the telephone.
Their job description includes describing the products and services to potential customers, explaining prices, obtaining customer information, and recording names, purchases, addresses, and payment methods.
They may also adjust their sales script, and find names and telephone numbers of potential customers.
A telemarketer’s job description may also include scheduling appointments for sales representatives to meet with potential clients.
Their earnings are often influenced by their communication skills and the ability to attract new customers or donors.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage for telemarketers was $28,550 as of May 2019 while the median for this profession was $25,250.
The median wage shows us that half the workers in this profession earned less than this amount and half earned more.
However, salaries also vary depending on the industry of employment and the local economy.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $18,680 per year while the highest 10 percent earned more than $41,740.
Telemarketer Salary by Industry
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, telemarketers held approximately 164,000 jobs as of May 2018, most of them being employed in the field of business support services.
The numbers published by BLS show that 98,960 telemarketers worked in this field in 2018 and their average annual salary was $26,550.
The field of business support services includes companies that provide services (such as warehousing, financing, and telemarketing services) for other companies.
According to the report published by BLS, telemarketers employed in the field of business support services reported a mean annual wage of $26,550 as of May 2018.
Companies that provide management, scientific, and technical consulting services hired approximately 7,510 telemarketers in 2018 and paid them, on average, with $29,180 per year.
Another sector where telemarketers held jobs is the industry of employment services; here the average annual wage for this profession was $28,550.
The industry of credit intermediation and related activities hired approximately 4,290 telemarketers in 2018 and offered them a mean annual wage of $31,670 per year.
The average annual wage for telemarketers who worked in the telecommunications field was significantly higher.
About 2,850 telemarketers worked in this sector and they were paid, on average, with $38,740 per year.
The highest average annual salary was reported in the field of computer system design and related services, a sector where telemarketers earned, on average, $46,790 a year.
Only 1,370 worked in this field and finding employment at a computer system design company can require some technical knowledge and a few years of experience in a related position.
Another sector where you have better chances of earning an above-average salary in the field of software publishing.
Software publishers hired approximately 1,220 telemarketers in 2018 and paid them, on average, with $42,370 per year.
Total Compensation for Telemarketers
In order to motivate their workers, in addition to a fixed salary or an hourly wage, many employers offer a compensation package for telemarketers that also includes commission on sales and other bonuses.
According to a report published by payscale.com, telemarketers earned between $24-$24,240 a year in commissions on sales.
Bonuses earned by telemarketers ranged between $98-$5,106 per year.
Therefore, your total compensation as a telemarketer is tied to your communication and marketing skills and if you have great customer service skills you commission can sum up to more than $10,000 a year.
Total compensation also varies depending on the telemarketer’s level of experience.
According to the same report, telemarketers with less than 1 year of experience earned a total hourly compensation (including tips, bonuses, and overtime pay) of $10.01, while those who had more than 20 years of experience earned an average total compensation of $13 per hour.
Many employers don’t offer health insurance coverage to telemarketers.
According to Payscale, only 28% of telemarketers received medical insurance and only 19% received dental insurance.
* Based on information from the May 2021 salary report from the BLS. The figures represent accumulated data for all states of employment for Telemarketers. BLS data represents averages and medians for workers at all levels of education and experience. This data doesn't represent starting salaries.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.