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The differences between front desk clerks and front desk agents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a front desk agent has an average salary of $31,008, which is higher than the $26,669 average annual salary of a front desk clerk.
The top three skills for a front desk clerk include reservations, customer service and night audit. The most important skills for a front desk agent are reservations, team work, and guest service.
| Front Desk Clerk | Front Desk Agent | |
| Yearly salary | $26,669 | $31,008 |
| Hourly rate | $12.82 | $14.91 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 141,042 | 96,392 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Front desk clerks are responsible for welcoming office guests and accommodating any questions they may have. As their designation suggests, they are usually stationed at the entrance or front of the office. They are often the first company employee that a guest encounters upon reaching the office area. Front desk clerks should be familiar with the office space and the employees of the company so that they can effectively direct guests or visitors. Front desk clerks should also have a copy of the general schedule of appointments or meetings in the office so that they can let in guests accordingly. They also often do most of the administrative or clerical activities needed by the front office. They should have great interpersonal skills, patience, and communication skills.
Front desk agents are usually the first hotel employees that the guest encounters upon entering the hotel. They greet and welcome guests. They are in charge of checking and validating the guests' reservations and issuing their room keys. Front desk agents are responsible for collecting any applicable fees from the guests and ensuring that only the registered guests stay. Front desk agents also coordinate with the housekeeping team and any other team to ensure that the guests' stay is the best.
Front desk clerks and front desk agents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Front Desk Clerk | Front Desk Agent | |
| Average salary | $26,669 | $31,008 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $33,000 | Between $25,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Washington |
| Best paying company | Hilton Grand Vacations | Brookhaven National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a front desk clerk and a front desk agent in terms of educational background:
| Front Desk Clerk | Front Desk Agent | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between front desk clerks' and front desk agents' demographics:
| Front Desk Clerk | Front Desk Agent | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.2% Female, 75.8% | Male, 31.2% Female, 68.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 9.4% White, 51.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 22.1% Asian, 9.9% White, 50.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 13% |