Receptionists and Information Clerks
Receptionists and Information Clerks (SOC 43-4171) earn a median $38,010 a year ($18.27 an hour) in the United States, with 910,180 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What receptionists and information clerks do
Receptionists and information clerks answer questions from the public, customers, visitors, and others with an interest, about what an establishment does and where its departments, offices, and employees are located. They greet people entering the establishment, find out the nature and purpose of the visit, and direct or escort them to the right destination. Many operate a telephone switchboard to answer, screen, or forward calls, take messages, and schedule appointments. They also keep appointment calendars up to date, send information or documents to customers by computer, mail, or fax machine, hear and resolve complaints, file and maintain records, and receive payment and record receipts for services. Alternate titles include appointment clerk, call taker, and bilingual receptionist. Switchboard operators, including answering service, are classified separately, and secretaries and administrative assistants support particular managers with more varied tasks.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Appointment Clerk, Appointment Scheduler, Appointment Setter, Automobile Club Information Clerk (Auto Club Info Clerk), Bilingual Receptionist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.83 | $16.33 | $18.27 | $21.70 | $24.01 | $18.97 | 910,180 |
| Annual | $28,760 | $33,960 | $38,010 | $45,130 | $49,950 | $39,460 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where receptionists and information clerks earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $17.81 | $19.16 | $23.59 | $27.77 | $30.90 | $24.26 | 2,000 | 2.85 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $37,050 | $39,850 | $49,060 | $57,760 | $64,270 | $50,450 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $15.78 | $18.45 | $21.50 | $24.07 | $27.58 | $21.55 | 1,530 | 4.68 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $32,810 | $38,370 | $44,720 | $50,070 | $57,360 | $44,820 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $17.66 | $18.74 | $21.49 | $23.61 | $27.81 | $21.97 | 26,500 | 7.46 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $36,730 | $38,980 | $44,710 | $49,110 | $57,840 | $45,690 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.51 | $18.77 | $21.20 | $23.41 | $28.27 | $22.16 | 82,470 | 4.53 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $36,410 | $39,050 | $44,100 | $48,690 | $58,800 | $46,100 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $17.21 | $18.36 | $21.09 | $23.00 | $26.09 | $21.13 | 18,970 | 5.21 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $35,790 | $38,190 | $43,870 | $47,840 | $54,270 | $43,950 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.51 | $18.77 | $21.20 | $23.41 | $28.27 | $22.16 | 82,470 | 4.53 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $36,410 | $39,050 | $44,100 | $48,690 | $58,800 | $46,100 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $11.87 | $14.02 | $16.93 | $19.33 | $22.78 | $17.17 | 78,330 | 5.57 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $24,700 | $29,160 | $35,210 | $40,210 | $47,380 | $35,720 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.70 | $18.02 | $20.71 | $23.60 | $28.43 | $21.56 | 65,010 | 6.71 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $34,740 | $37,470 | $43,080 | $49,080 | $59,140 | $44,840 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.87 | $15.73 | $17.70 | $19.99 | $22.35 | $18.13 | 63,280 | 6.37 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $28,850 | $32,730 | $36,810 | $41,590 | $46,480 | $37,720 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $16.07 | $17.60 | $20.02 | $22.59 | $26.10 | $20.65 | 42,060 | 9.81 | 1.68 |
| Annual | $33,420 | $36,600 | $41,650 | $46,980 | $54,290 | $42,950 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $18.08 | $20.88 | $23.77 | $28.93 | $36.57 | $25.58 | 8,510 | 3.58 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $37,610 | $43,440 | $49,450 | $60,170 | $76,070 | $53,200 | ||||
| Fairbanks-College, AK | Hourly | $16.62 | $20.60 | $22.72 | $24.28 | $26.58 | $22.32 | 160 | 4.44 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $34,580 | $42,840 | $47,260 | $50,510 | $55,280 | $46,420 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $19.26 | $21.21 | $22.66 | $27.80 | $33.00 | $25.46 | 3,990 | 3.52 | 0.60 |
| Annual | $40,060 | $44,110 | $47,130 | $57,820 | $68,640 | $52,950 | ||||
| Napa, CA | Hourly | $18.77 | $21.07 | $22.53 | $26.00 | $30.30 | $23.53 | 280 | 3.56 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $39,040 | $43,820 | $46,850 | $54,080 | $63,020 | $48,950 | ||||
| Barnstable Town, MA | Hourly | $17.60 | $18.75 | $22.03 | $23.59 | $26.26 | $21.81 | 670 | 7.15 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $36,610 | $38,990 | $45,820 | $49,060 | $54,620 | $45,350 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.86 | $18.20 | $21.48 | $23.71 | $28.71 | $21.84 | 74,190 | 7.82 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $35,060 | $37,860 | $44,690 | $49,320 | $59,720 | $45,430 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.85 | $18.95 | $20.81 | $22.76 | $25.29 | $21.37 | 35,000 | 5.58 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $37,120 | $39,410 | $43,280 | $47,340 | $52,600 | $44,460 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.24 | $16.81 | $18.30 | $21.70 | $23.83 | $19.36 | 30,540 | 6.77 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $31,690 | $34,960 | $38,060 | $45,140 | $49,560 | $40,270 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $13.23 | $16.36 | $18.29 | $21.80 | $23.80 | $18.81 | 22,210 | 7.67 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $27,520 | $34,030 | $38,030 | $45,340 | $49,500 | $39,130 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $12.77 | $15.01 | $17.82 | $21.25 | $22.96 | $18.15 | 21,380 | 5.28 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $26,560 | $31,220 | $37,060 | $44,190 | $47,750 | $37,750 | ||||
Top industries employing receptionists and information clerks
Offices of Physicians employ 14.8% of receptionists and information clerks nationally (135,030 jobs) at a median $39,550 a year ($19.01 an hour), followed by Offices of Dentists (7.7%) and Personal Care Services (7.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 135,030 | 14.8% | $39,550 | $19.01 |
| Offices of Dentists NAICS 621200 | 69,930 | 7.7% | $46,500 | $22.36 |
| Personal Care Services NAICS 812100 | 69,770 | 7.7% | $34,470 | $16.57 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries NAICS 713900 | 63,690 | 7.0% | $31,600 | $15.19 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 60,490 | 6.6% | $38,060 | $18.30 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (910,180). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,950 for receptionists and information clerks in May 2021 and $38,010 in May 2025, with employment of 983,150 and 910,180.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,950 | $14.40 | 983,150 |
| May 2022 | $33,960 | $16.33 | 1,011,170 |
| May 2023 | $35,840 | $17.23 | 1,003,820 |
| May 2024 | $37,230 | $17.90 | 964,530 |
| May 2025 | $38,010 | $18.27 | 910,180 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $23.59 | $49,060 | $37,050 | $64,270 | 2,000 | 2.85 | 0.49 |
| 2 | Alaska profile | $21.50 | $44,720 | $32,810 | $57,360 | 1,530 | 4.68 | 0.80 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $21.49 | $44,710 | $36,730 | $57,840 | 26,500 | 7.46 | 1.28 |
| 4 | California profile | $21.20 | $44,100 | $36,410 | $58,800 | 82,470 | 4.53 | 0.77 |
| 5 | Massachusetts profile | $21.09 | $43,870 | $35,790 | $54,270 | 18,970 | 5.21 | 0.89 |
| 6 | New York profile | $20.71 | $43,080 | $34,740 | $59,140 | 65,010 | 6.71 | 1.15 |
| 7 | Rhode Island profile | $20.49 | $42,620 | $32,940 | $50,020 | 4,270 | 8.51 | 1.45 |
| 8 | Maine profile | $20.41 | $42,440 | $35,880 | $49,140 | 3,440 | 5.38 | 0.92 |
| 9 | Colorado profile | $20.20 | $42,010 | $33,200 | $51,490 | 11,020 | 3.83 | 0.66 |
| 10 | New Jersey profile | $20.02 | $41,650 | $33,420 | $54,290 | 42,060 | 9.81 | 1.68 |
| 11 | Hawaii profile | $20.00 | $41,600 | $35,050 | $55,310 | 3,510 | 5.60 | 0.96 |
| 12 | Wisconsin profile | $19.78 | $41,150 | $29,530 | $50,030 | 25,580 | 8.70 | 1.49 |
| 13 | Oregon profile | $19.66 | $40,900 | $33,970 | $49,660 | 13,590 | 6.91 | 1.18 |
| 14 | Connecticut profile | $19.53 | $40,630 | $34,120 | $54,170 | 14,980 | 8.83 | 1.51 |
| 15 | North Dakota profile | $19.00 | $39,530 | $29,570 | $52,220 | 1,930 | 4.49 | 0.77 |
| 16 | Arizona profile | $18.62 | $38,730 | $32,130 | $47,930 | 23,220 | 7.17 | 1.22 |
| 17 | Vermont profile | $18.45 | $38,370 | $30,830 | $46,810 | 1,160 | 3.81 | 0.65 |
| 18 | South Dakota profile | $18.40 | $38,280 | $27,920 | $47,860 | 5,760 | 12.59 | 2.15 |
| 19 | New Hampshire profile | $18.34 | $38,160 | $26,800 | $53,370 | 5,320 | 7.78 | 1.33 |
| 20 | Maryland profile | $18.32 | $38,100 | $31,750 | $49,180 | 18,390 | 6.66 | 1.14 |
| 21 | Nebraska profile | $18.20 | $37,860 | $29,070 | $47,350 | 6,750 | 6.59 | 1.13 |
| 22 | Minnesota profile | $18.04 | $37,510 | $28,320 | $50,540 | 11,800 | 4.00 | 0.68 |
| 23 | Wyoming profile | $18.02 | $37,480 | $28,580 | $49,570 | 1,540 | 5.49 | 0.94 |
| 24 | Michigan profile | $18.02 | $37,470 | $29,480 | $48,280 | 25,230 | 5.73 | 0.98 |
| 25 | Illinois profile | $17.98 | $37,400 | $31,200 | $48,350 | 40,370 | 6.62 | 1.13 |
| 26 | Montana profile | $17.96 | $37,360 | $27,240 | $47,420 | 1,280 | 2.51 | 0.43 |
| 27 | Iowa profile | $17.95 | $37,330 | $26,740 | $47,610 | 4,660 | 2.99 | 0.51 |
| 28 | Virginia profile | $17.82 | $37,060 | $28,800 | $47,220 | 23,360 | 5.69 | 0.97 |
| 29 | Nevada profile | $17.81 | $37,050 | $29,340 | $47,790 | 10,650 | 6.86 | 1.17 |
| 30 | Utah profile | $17.77 | $36,960 | $27,870 | $47,210 | 12,020 | 6.93 | 1.18 |
| 31 | Florida profile | $17.70 | $36,810 | $28,850 | $46,480 | 63,280 | 6.37 | 1.09 |
| 32 | Idaho profile | $17.70 | $36,810 | $28,500 | $47,100 | 5,340 | 6.23 | 1.06 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania profile | $17.70 | $36,810 | $24,820 | $48,310 | 37,830 | 6.24 | 1.07 |
| 34 | Delaware profile | $17.46 | $36,310 | $31,200 | $47,610 | 2,880 | 5.93 | 1.01 |
| 35 | Indiana profile | $17.39 | $36,160 | $24,410 | $47,310 | 17,360 | 5.42 | 0.93 |
| 36 | Georgia profile | $17.36 | $36,100 | $24,920 | $47,190 | 26,080 | 5.33 | 0.91 |
| 37 | Kansas profile | $17.33 | $36,050 | $27,390 | $45,690 | 7,290 | 5.07 | 0.87 |
| 38 | Ohio profile | $17.27 | $35,920 | $26,070 | $46,840 | 30,850 | 5.56 | 0.95 |
| 39 | Missouri profile | $17.18 | $35,740 | $29,230 | $46,660 | 18,890 | 6.43 | 1.10 |
| 40 | South Carolina profile | $17.07 | $35,510 | $22,710 | $46,750 | 11,280 | 4.89 | 0.84 |
| 41 | North Carolina profile | $17.04 | $35,440 | $23,270 | $46,210 | 20,080 | 4.06 | 0.69 |
| 42 | Texas profile | $16.93 | $35,210 | $24,700 | $47,380 | 78,330 | 5.57 | 0.95 |
| 43 | New Mexico profile | $16.89 | $35,140 | $26,970 | $44,210 | 5,650 | 6.48 | 1.11 |
| 44 | Tennessee profile | $16.79 | $34,910 | $25,400 | $45,980 | 11,460 | 3.50 | 0.60 |
| 45 | Arkansas profile | $16.75 | $34,840 | $27,610 | $43,930 | 10,870 | 8.34 | 1.42 |
| 46 | Oklahoma profile | $16.61 | $34,560 | $24,700 | $44,760 | 9,380 | 5.49 | 0.94 |
| 47 | Kentucky profile | $15.84 | $32,940 | $23,720 | $44,270 | 9,290 | 4.65 | 0.79 |
| 48 | Louisiana profile | $15.75 | $32,750 | $21,420 | $44,410 | 12,820 | 6.62 | 1.13 |
| 49 | Alabama profile | $15.67 | $32,590 | $22,830 | $40,730 | 10,460 | 4.95 | 0.85 |
| 50 | West Virginia profile | $15.34 | $31,920 | $23,690 | $42,740 | 5,470 | 7.79 | 1.33 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $14.98 | $31,160 | $22,310 | $42,990 | 6,920 | 5.95 | 1.02 |
Part of Office and Administrative Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 43-4171 Receptionists and Information Clerks.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 43-4171, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 43-4171.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.