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Business & Finance

Telemarketers

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

Median salary (BLS)

$35,450

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$27k – $50k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

Plan a path to Telemarketers

Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

Estimate

Cost to qualify

$500–$3,150

Time to qualify

1 yr

Renewal

  1. 1

    High school diploma or GED

    Course

    Expected 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. 2

    On-the-job training

    Experience

    Employer-provided and typically paid — days to a few months for most no-degree roles.

    Cost varies · 3 months source

  3. 3

    Industry certification (optional for many roles)

    Certification

    Role-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 "Telemarketers" — 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

  1. Junior Telemarketers

    Entry / Junior

    $27,040

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Telemarketers

    Established

    $35,450

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Telemarketers

    Senior

    $42,900

Key skills

A typical day

  • Contact businesses or private individuals by telephone to solicit sales for goods or services, or to request donations for charitable causes.
  • Obtain customer information such as name, address, and payment method, and enter orders into computers.
  • Explain products or services and prices, and answer questions from customers.
  • Record names, addresses, purchases, and reactions of prospects contacted.
  • Maintain records of contacts, accounts, and orders.

Fields of study

Any field

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