Administrative assistant vs receptionist

The differences between administrative assistants and receptionists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an administrative assistant and a receptionist. Additionally, an administrative assistant has an average salary of $34,945, which is higher than the $30,571 average annual salary of a receptionist.

The top three skills for an administrative assistant include customer service, data entry and powerpoint. The most important skills for a receptionist are patients, phone calls, and customer service.

Administrative assistant vs receptionist overview

	Administrative Assistant	Receptionist
Yearly salary	$34,945	$30,571
Hourly rate	$16.80	$14.70
Growth rate	-8%	-
Number of jobs	65,769	65,671
Job satisfaction	4.14	3
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	High School Diploma, 33%
Average age	50	42
Years of experience	2	2

What does an administrative assistant do?

Administrative assistants, or admin assistants, do general clerical and administrative activities. Their duties involve organizing and maintaining files and records, preparing documents, scheduling meetings and appointments, and providing general support in the office. Administrative assistants handle incoming and outgoing official correspondences, take minutes of important meetings and manage calls to the main office number. They also assist executives in providing structure to their day by managing their schedule, drafting e-mails, and other activities that executives may need assistance in. Administrative assistants should have the following skills: organizing, business writing, decision-making, and communication.

What does a receptionist do?

Receptionists are employees assigned at the entrances or lobbies of offices. They welcome guests, check identification, issue visitor badges, attend to questions or inquiries, and direct guests to where they are supposed to go. They also receive general mail or packages, answer calls, and manage schedules. Receptionists perform various clerical or administrative functions as assigned by their supervisors. They should have good client relations skills.

Administrative assistant vs receptionist salary

Administrative assistants and receptionists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Administrative Assistant	Receptionist
Average salary	$34,945	$30,571
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $46,000	Between $24,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	California	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Westfield State University	Gensler
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between administrative assistant and receptionist education

There are a few differences between an administrative assistant and a receptionist in terms of educational background:

	Administrative Assistant	Receptionist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	High School Diploma, 33%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Western Carolina University	-

Administrative assistant vs receptionist demographics

Here are the differences between administrative assistants' and receptionists' demographics:

	Administrative Assistant	Receptionist
Average age	50	42
Gender ratio	Male, 12.7% Female, 87.3%	Male, 8.4% Female, 91.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 23.5% Asian, 6.1% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between administrative assistant and receptionist duties and responsibilities

Administrative assistant example responsibilities.

Manage time and attendance using Kronos software for entire department.
Participate in national projects, manage new customer conversions to MCI from other carriers.
Manage FEDEX delivery requirements ensuring compliance with company policy.
Manage and update social media outlets including Facebook and LinkedIn.
Manage company finances using QuickBooks software, including monitoring the operating budget and collecting on unpaid invoices.
Manage and develop the daily clinical schedule for the in-patient rehabilitation staff taking into consideration Medicare guidelines and staffing ratios.

Receptionist example responsibilities.

Manage invoicing with QuickBooks, taking customer calls and helping with any issues, parts and equipment delivery/pickup/ordering.
Manage multiple employee/resident databases utilizing an EMR system.
Verify insurance information and manage medical records while ensuring confidentiality according to HIPAA requirements.
Manage desk operations for the YMCA, organizing and documenting members' payments and collating operational documents
Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
Bill patients for medical services provide by various doctors using ICD-9 and CPT-4 coding.

Administrative assistant vs receptionist skills

Common administrative assistant skills

Customer Service, 14%
Data Entry, 11%
PowerPoint, 6%
Travel Arrangements, 5%
Database Management, 5%
Word Processing, 5%

Common receptionist skills

Patients, 17%
Phone Calls, 14%
Customer Service, 9%
Data Entry, 9%
Telephone Calls, 8%
Front Desk, 8%

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Administrative Assistant
Administrative Assistant vs Receptionist

Updated January 8, 2025

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