Desk receptionist vs front desk receptionist

The differences between desk receptionists and front desk receptionists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a desk receptionist and a front desk receptionist. Additionally, a desk receptionist has an average salary of $32,434, which is higher than the $31,050 average annual salary of a front desk receptionist.

The top three skills for a desk receptionist include scheduling appointments, customer service and front desk. The most important skills for a front desk receptionist are patients, check-in, and phone calls.

Desk receptionist vs front desk receptionist overview

	Desk Receptionist	Front Desk Receptionist
Yearly salary	$32,434	$31,050
Hourly rate	$15.59	$14.93
Growth rate	-	-
Number of jobs	41,301	82,593
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	High School Diploma, 33%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	2	2

Desk receptionist vs front desk receptionist salary

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

	Desk Receptionist	Front Desk Receptionist
Average salary	$32,434	$31,050
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $41,000	Between $24,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	-	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	SightMD
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between desk receptionist and front desk receptionist education

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

	Desk Receptionist	Front Desk Receptionist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	High School Diploma, 33%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Desk receptionist vs front desk receptionist demographics

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

	Desk Receptionist	Front Desk Receptionist
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 25.5% Female, 74.5%	Male, 15.4% Female, 84.6%
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, 10.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 23.9% Asian, 6.4% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between desk receptionist and front desk receptionist 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 receptionist example responsibilities.

Accomplish computer work using a PMS system; OperaXpress.
Collect and distribute mail and packages, prepare FedEx shipments and manage online postage machine.
Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA and clinic
Acquire knowledge of ICD-9 and CPT codes and achieve up-to-date knowledge of medical record practices, standards, and regulations.
Manage patients records by keeping all medical history, insurance and personal information update and verify abiding by HIPAA protocols.
Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.

Desk receptionist vs front desk receptionist 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 receptionist skills

Patients, 23%
Check-In, 12%
Phone Calls, 10%
Reservations, 10%
Customer Service, 10%
Appointment Scheduling, 5%

Desk Receptionist vs. similar jobs

Desk Receptionist related careers

Desk Receptionist related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Office and Administrative Industry
Desk Receptionist
Desk Receptionist vs Front Desk Receptionist

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse office and administrative jobs