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Receptionists and Information Clerks Salary
Receptionists and Information Clerks earn a median $38,010 a year in the U.S., with 910,180 jobs (May 2025).
- Median wage
- $38,010 a year
- Employment
- 910,180
- Excludes self-employed
- Projected growth
- -1.7%
- 2025 to 2035
- Openings per year
- 105,100
- Average, including replacements
Pay range nationally
The middle half of workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile (shaded)
- Median (50%)
- $38,010 · $18.27 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $39,460 · $18.97 an hour (estimate error ±0.2%)
- 10th percentile
- $28,760 · $13.83 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $33,960 · $16.33 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $45,130 · $21.70 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $49,950 · $24.01 an hour
- Employment
- 910,180 (estimate error ±0.9%)
What they do
Standard Occupational Classification definition
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. Excludes “Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service” (43-2011).
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035
- Jobs in 2025
- 947,500
- Projected for 2035
- 931,600
- Change
- -16,000 (-1.7%)
- Openings each year
- 105,100
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 0.7%
Occupational Outlook Handbook (duties, how to become one, work environment)
Highest paying states
Median wage for this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | State | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $49,060 | 2,000 |
| 2 | Alaska | $44,720 | 1,530 |
| 3 | Washington | $44,710 | 26,500 |
| 4 | California | $44,100 | 82,470 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $43,870 | 18,970 |
| 6 | New York | $43,080 | 65,010 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $42,620 | 4,270 |
| 8 | Maine | $42,440 | 3,440 |
| 9 | Colorado | $42,010 | 11,020 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $41,650 | 42,060 |
States with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| State | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| California | 82,470 | $44,100 |
| Texas | 78,330 | $35,210 |
| New York | 65,010 | $43,080 |
| Florida | 63,280 | $36,810 |
| New Jersey | 42,060 | $41,650 |
| Illinois | 40,370 | $37,400 |
| Pennsylvania | 37,830 | $36,810 |
| Ohio | 30,850 | $35,920 |
| Washington | 26,500 | $44,710 |
| Georgia | 26,080 | $36,100 |
Highest paying metro areas
Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | Metro area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $49,450 | 8,510 |
| 2 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $47,260 | 160 |
| 3 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $47,130 | 3,990 |
| 4 | Napa, CA | $46,850 | 280 |
| 5 | Barnstable Town, MA | $45,820 | 670 |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $45,820 | 14,260 |
| 7 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $45,650 | 180 |
| 8 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $45,550 | 1,160 |
| 9 | Vallejo, CA | $45,500 | 720 |
| 10 | Sheboygan, WI | $45,430 | 610 |
| 11 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $45,140 | 4,570 |
| 12 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $45,060 | 450 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 74,190 | $44,690 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 35,000 | $43,280 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 30,540 | $38,060 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 22,210 | $38,030 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 21,380 | $37,060 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 19,850 | $37,570 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 17,920 | $41,240 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 17,140 | $35,350 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 16,850 | $39,340 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 15,710 | $37,530 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 14,320 | $43,930 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 14,260 | $45,820 |
Visa filings for this occupation
Wages employers offered on Department of Labor filings
- PERM green card (FY 2026 through Q3)78 certified filingsMedian offered wage $31,824
Receptionists and Information Clerks pay by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Related occupations
- Brokerage Clerks
- Correspondence Clerks
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
- Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks
- Customer Service Representatives
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs
- File Clerks
- Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks
- Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan
- Library Assistants, Clerical
- Loan Interviewers and Clerks
- New Accounts Clerks
Frequently asked questions
- How much do receptionists and information clerks make?
- The median wage for receptionists and information clerks in the U.S. is $38,010 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $33,960 and $45,130.
- Which state pays receptionists and information clerks the most?
- District of Columbia has the highest median wage for this occupation at $49,060 a year.
- What is the job outlook for receptionists and information clerks?
- BLS projects employment to decline 1.7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 105,100 openings each year on average.
- What education do receptionists and information clerks need?
- The typical entry-level education is: high school diploma or equivalent.