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Boston Career Explorer

Sales and Related

Telemarketers

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

Also called: Call Agent, Inside Sales Representative (Inside Sales Rep), Telemarketer, Telemarketing Sales Representative (Telemarketing Sales Rep), Telephone Sales Representative (TSR), Telephone Service Representative (TSR)

Median pay in Greater Boston
$44,650
$21.46/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
Not published
Massachusetts 2024–2034
−17.7%
50 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
No formal educational credential
plus Short-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$32,160$40,740$44,650$46,240$53,600

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • 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.
  • Answer telephone calls from potential customers who have been solicited through advertisements.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure87 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 76
  • Language-model AIOE 100
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 84

Observed AI use today: Substantial (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure is higher for this job, and observed AI use is substantial. AI tools can help with entering orders, keeping call records, and explaining products and prices. Federal projections also point to fewer jobs because of the Do Not Call registry and a shift to digital marketing. Massachusetts jobs are projected to fall 17.7%, so exploring options early may help.

Likely to change

  • Entering orders and customer information
  • Logging calls and keeping contact records

Still relies on people

  • Hearing and responding to a caller's concerns
  • Building trust in a live conversation

What federal projections say

“Demand change - share decreases as the Do Not Call registry from the FCC continues to grow, and companies increasingly use alternative digital marketing methods.”
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, factors affecting this job (U.S.)

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Public Safety Telecommunicators

    Phone skills and asking questions to understand callers carry over well. It pays more ($62,660) and has 4.1% projected growth, but AI exposure is also higher.

    Pay difference
    +$18,010 median
    AI exposure
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    MA growth
    +4.1%
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    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Parts Salespersons

    Explaining products, taking payments, and helping customers carry over to parts sales. AI exposure is lower, median pay is $46,370, and growth is 3.6%.

    Pay difference
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  • Counter and Rental Clerks

    Taking orders, computing charges, and handling payments carry over to counter work. Pay is similar ($45,510) and projected growth is 3.5%.

    Pay difference
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    MA growth
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    No formal educational credential

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

No college programs near Boston map to this job. Many people enter through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.

Talk to a career coach at the Office of Workforce Development about apprenticeships and City partner programs.

Related occupations

Talk to a career coach

A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.

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