Salary Outlook
According to the Department of Labor, the median annual salary for a customer service representative was $30,610 in 2011. The best-paid 10 percent earned about $49,800, and the lowest-paid made approximately $19,620. The best-compensated customer service representatives usually work for industrial companies focused on oil and gas extraction, aerospace manufacturing, and energy-related parts manufacturing. By region, the highest-paid customer reps work San Jose, Calif., San Francisco, and Bridgeport, Conn.
| Job Salary | Year |
|---|---|
| 2002 | $25,750.00 |
| 2004 | $33,860.00 |
| 2006 | $34,230.00 |
| 2008 | $35,460.00 |
| 2010 | $32,780.00 |
Average Customer Service Representative Pay vs. All Business Jobs
Customer service reps earn about $30,610 in a year, which is comparable to the salary of an administrative assistant and a receptionist, but far less than a sales representative's, a business operations manager's, or an accountant's salary.
| Job Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Business Operations Manager | $95,150.00 |
| Accountant | $62,850.00 |
| Sales Representative | $53,540.00 |
| Administrative Assistant | $31,870.00 |
| Customer Service Representative | $30,610.00 |
| Receptionist | $25,240.00 |
See Complete List of Best Business Jobs
Best Paying Cities for Customer Service Representatives
The highest paid in the customer service representative profession work in the metropolitan areas of San Jose, CA, Bridgeport, CT, and Oakland, CA. The Santa Rosa, CA area also pays well, as does the city of San Francisco, CA.
San Jose, CA
Average Salary: $49,000 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a customer service representative working in San Jose, CA is $49,000, which is $18,390 more than the average pay in the profession.
Bridgeport, CT
Average Salary: $42,290 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a customer service representative working in Bridgeport, CT is $42,290, which is $11,680 more than the average pay in the profession.
Oakland, CA
Average Salary: $41,010 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a customer service representative working in Oakland, CA is $41,010, which is $10,400 more than the average pay in the profession.
Santa Rosa, CA
Average Salary: $39,880 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a customer service representative working in Santa Rosa, CA is $39,880, which is $9,270 more than the average pay in the profession.
San Francisco, CA
Average Salary: $34,270 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a customer service representative working in San Francisco, CA is $34,270, which is $3,660 more than the average pay in the profession.
