Occupations · Office and Administrative Support

Receptionists and Information Clerks

Answer inquiries and provide information to the general public, customers, visitors, and other interested parties regarding activities conducted at establishment and location of departments, offices, and employees within the organization.

O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 43-4171.00

$37,230median annual wage, May 2024

964,530people employed, United States

▲ 0.0%projected change, 2024→2034

128,500openings a year, incl. replacements

What it pays

A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage

Pay over time

Median up 75% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.

BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.

Where the jobs are

Metro area	Median wage	Employed
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	$43,070	89,130
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	$37,790	29,720
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$44,300	29,090
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$37,180	23,660
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$36,480	22,040
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$37,610	21,730
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$38,550	19,140
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	$34,970	18,710
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	$38,630	18,600
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$39,760	17,510
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$43,520	16,550
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$45,300	13,440

BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation

Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34

What people in this job actually do

Ordered by how important the work is rated.

Operate telephone switchboard to answer, screen, or forward calls, providing information, taking messages, or scheduling appointments.
Greet persons entering establishment, determine nature and purpose of visit, and direct or escort them to specific destinations.
Receive payment and record receipts for services.
Schedule appointments and maintain and update appointment calendars.
Analyze data to determine answers to questions from customers or members of the public.
Calculate and quote rates for tours, stocks, insurance policies, or other products or services.
Transmit information or documents to customers, using computer, mail, or facsimile machine.
Hear and resolve complaints from customers or the public.
File and maintain records.
Provide information about establishment, such as location of departments or offices, employees within the organization, or services provided.
Perform administrative support tasks, such as proofreading, transcribing handwritten information, or operating calculators or computers to work with pay records, invoices, balance sheets, or other documents.
Collect, sort, distribute, or prepare mail, messages, or courier deliveries.

O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale

Skills that matter most

Importance, rated 1 to 5.

Speaking3.9

Active Listening3.8

Reading Comprehension3.1

Critical Thinking3.1

Writing3.0

Monitoring2.9

Active Learning2.8

Learning Strategies2.1

Mathematics2.0

Science1.0

O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale

Software and tools

A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.

Google Docs●Intuit QuickBooks●Microsoft Excel●Microsoft Office software●Microsoft Outlook●Microsoft PowerPoint●Microsoft Windows●Microsoft Word●3M Post-it AppAlpha Software Alpha FiveAppointment scheduling softwareAutomated information system softwareBilling softwareBlackbaud The Raiser's EdgeBookkeeping softwareClaim processing system softwareCorel WordPerfect Office SuiteData entry softwareDatabase softwareElectronic calendar management softwareElectronic health record EHR softwareEmail softwareFileMaker ProFiling system softwareGE Healthcare Centricity EMRGoogle DriveHMSIBM Check Processing Control System CPSC

O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag

What this work is actually like

Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.

2 / 5Some preparation — a school diploma and a few months of on-the-job training.

O*NET 30.3 Job Zones

Working conditions that stand out

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets−1.7 below average

Level of Competition−1.5 below average

Health and Safety of Other Workers−1.4 below average

Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions−1.3 below average

In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment−1.2 below average

Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled−1.2 below average

Exposed to Hazardous Equipment−1.2 below average

O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2023-08

How people actually get in

Share of workers by the education they hold.

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)49%

Some College Courses26%

Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)21%

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)4%

O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2023-08

What kind of person the work suits

Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.

Conventional6.3

Enterprising4.3

Social3.6

O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)

Tasks O*NET flags as emerging

Enter and update databases of contact information, such as names, addresses, and phone numbers.

O*NET 30.3 emerging tasks

What you take with you

Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.

Service Orientation3.6

Social Perceptiveness3.1

Coordination3.0

Time Management2.9

Complex Problem Solving2.8

Persuasion2.6

Instructing2.6

Judgment and Decision Making2.4

O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale

Knowledge the work draws on

Customer and Personal ServiceAdministrativeEnglish LanguageComputers and ElectronicsMathematicsPublic Safety and Security

Abilities it leans on

Oral ExpressionOral ComprehensionSpeech RecognitionSpeech ClarityWritten ComprehensionWritten Expression

O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale

How this job is advertised

The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.

QuoterGreeterSchedulerRegistrarCall TakerReceptionistUtility ClerkResearch ClerkRegister ClerkPeople GreeterTelephone ClerkSpace SchedulerFront Desk ClerkClerk Specialist

O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation

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What changed since 2015

Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 2 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.

Now listed 12

+Microsoft SharePoint Server+Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge+Microsoft Windows+IBM Notes+Google Docs+3M Post-it App+Intrado SchoolMessenger+Corel WordPerfect Office Suite+Google Drive+FileMaker Pro+Microsoft Dynamics+Data entry software

No longer listed 6

−Customer relationship management CRM software−Microsoft Office SharePoint Server MOSS−Desktop publishing software−Corel WordPerfect software−IBM Lotus Notes−IBS QSI System software

Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.

O*NET 30.3 related occupations

Also called

QuoterGreeterPark AideRegistrarSchedulerCall TakerReceptionistUtility ClerkPeople GreeterResearch ClerkUnit AssistantRegister Clerk

O*NET 30.3 alternative titles

The same work in Europe

ESCO occupation	ISCO	Match
hospitality establishment receptionist	4224.1	broader
receptionist	4226.2	broader
front line medical receptionist	4226.2.1	broader
customer contact centre information clerk	4222.1	broader
veterinary receptionist	4226.2.2	broader

Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)

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