Desk receptionist vs front desk associate

The differences between desk receptionists and front desk associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a desk receptionist has an average salary of $32,434, which is higher than the $27,236 average annual salary of a front desk associate.

The top three skills for a desk receptionist include scheduling appointments, customer service and front desk. The most important skills for a front desk associate are phone calls, math, and customer service.

Desk receptionist vs front desk associate overview

	Desk Receptionist	Front Desk Associate
Yearly salary	$32,434	$27,236
Hourly rate	$15.59	$13.09
Growth rate	-	-
Number of jobs	41,301	77,432
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	42	37
Years of experience	2	-

Desk receptionist vs front desk associate salary

Desk receptionists and front desk associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Desk Receptionist	Front Desk Associate
Average salary	$32,434	$27,236
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $41,000	Between $20,000 And $35,000
Highest paying City	-	New York, NY
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	Wyndham Capital Mortgage
Best paying industry	-	Hospitality

Differences between desk receptionist and front desk associate education

There are a few differences between a desk receptionist and a front desk associate in terms of educational background:

	Desk Receptionist	Front Desk Associate
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Desk receptionist vs front desk associate demographics

Here are the differences between desk receptionists' and front desk associates' demographics:

	Desk Receptionist	Front Desk Associate
Average age	42	37
Gender ratio	Male, 25.5% Female, 74.5%	Male, 31.3% Female, 68.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 6.7% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 6.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 9.3% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
LGBT Percentage	6%	13%

Differences between desk receptionist and front desk associate duties and responsibilities

Desk receptionist example responsibilities.

Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
Document and identify doctors' availability and schedule appointments utilizing AVImark scheduling software.

Front desk associate example responsibilities.

Manage customer service issues with ease and charm and train other co workers in daily operations.
Manage confidential information and documentation, including financial data, and credit card information and payroll checks.
Manage patients records by keeping all medical history, insurance and personal information update and verify abiding by HIPAA protocols.
Process reservations for business groups via opera system.
Process guest reservations, assess needs and ensure appropriate accommodations and assist guests with concierge-relate services.
Contact patients regarding unpaid and underpay accounts, verification of insurance, accounting, customer service, computer and telephone operations.

Desk receptionist vs front desk associate skills

Common desk receptionist skills

Scheduling Appointments, 24%
Customer Service, 21%
Front Desk, 15%
Check-In, 10%
Emergency Situations, 4%
Office Equipment, 4%

Common front desk associate skills

Phone Calls, 21%
Math, 13%
Customer Service, 13%
Basic Math, 11%
Strong Customer Service, 10%
Cash Handling, 8%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Desk Receptionist
Desk Receptionist vs Front Desk Associate

Updated January 8, 2025

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