Business & Finance
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.
Median salary (BLS)
$44,770
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$32k – $64k
Job outlook
No separate BLS projection for this specific role
AI exposure
Plan a path to Customer Service Representatives
Education
Typical entry: No degree required
Plan my path to this →How to qualify
EstimateCost to qualify
$500–$3,150
Time to qualify
1 yr
Renewal
—
- 1
High school diploma or GED
CourseExpected by most employers; if you need the GED, test fees run $0–$150 depending on the state.
$0–$150 · 3 months · varies by state source
- 2
On-the-job training
ExperienceEmployer-provided and typically paid — days to a few months for most no-degree roles.
Cost varies · 3 months source
- 3
Industry certification (optional for many roles)
CertificationRole-dependent — e.g. CPA, Series 7/65, PMP, SHRM. Not always required, but often expected for advancement.
$500–$3,000 · 6 months source
Estimated typical U.S. route for "Customer Service Representatives" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.
Typical progression
Junior Customer Service Representatives
Entry / Junior
$31,750
~2 yrs to advance
Customer Service Representatives
Established
$44,770
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Customer Service Representatives
Senior
$54,180
Key skills
A typical day
- •Confer with customers by telephone or in person to provide information about products or services, take or enter orders, cancel accounts, or obtain details of complaints.
- •Keep records of customer interactions or transactions, recording details of inquiries, complaints, or comments, as well as actions taken.
- •Check to ensure that appropriate changes were made to resolve customers' problems.
- •Contact customers to respond to inquiries or to notify them of claim investigation results or any planned adjustments.
- •Determine charges for services requested, collect deposits or payments, or arrange for billing.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Business & Finance
Explore all- University of Pennsylvania6% admit · $112,000 grad pay
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology4% admit · $124,000 grad pay
- Harvard University4% admit · $119,000 grad pay
- University of California, Berkeley11% admit · $97,000 grad pay
- New York University12% admit · $84,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.