Front desk clerk vs front desk attendant

The differences between front desk clerks and front desk attendants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a front desk attendant has an average salary of $26,874, 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 attendant are reservations, customer service, and cleanliness.

Front desk clerk vs front desk attendant overview

	Front Desk Clerk	Front Desk Attendant
Yearly salary	$26,669	$26,874
Hourly rate	$12.82	$12.92
Growth rate	-	-
Number of jobs	141,042	107,058
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Average age	37	37
Years of experience	-	-

What does a front desk clerk do?

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.

What does a front desk attendant do?

A front desk attendant serves as the primary point of contact in a building or establishment, ensuring customer satisfaction. Their duties mainly revolve around greeting visitors, responding to inquiries, handling calls and correspondence, arranging appointments, and coordinating with various building offices and departments. Moreover, a front desk attendant's responsibilities will vary on the line of work or one's industry of employment. There are instances in a hotel setting where they must handle check-in and check-out processes, make reservations, and offer amenities.

Front desk clerk vs front desk attendant salary

Front desk clerks and front desk attendants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Front Desk Clerk	Front Desk Attendant
Average salary	$26,669	$26,874
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $33,000	Between $20,000 And $35,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Anaheim, CA
Highest paying state	Hawaii	California
Best paying company	Hilton Grand Vacations	Lone Star Circle of Care
Best paying industry	Retail	Education

Differences between front desk clerk and front desk attendant education

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

	Front Desk Clerk	Front Desk Attendant
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Front desk clerk vs front desk attendant demographics

Here are the differences between front desk clerks' and front desk attendants' demographics:

	Front Desk Clerk	Front Desk Attendant
Average age	37	37
Gender ratio	Male, 24.2% Female, 75.8%	Male, 35.1% Female, 64.9%
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, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 9.5% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage	13%	13%

Differences between front desk clerk and front desk attendant duties and responsibilities

Front desk clerk example responsibilities.

Manage customer service issues with ease and charm and train other co workers in daily operations.
Deliver messages and run errands.
Job responsibilities consist of being a cashier, bagging groceries, assisting customers, stocking, cleaning, etc.
Cross-Train and provide back-up for PBX representatives when necessary.
Follow emergency procedures for evacuating property safely via PBX phone.
Advertise Ramada facilities by creating fliers, arranging promotions, and facilitating group reservations.

Front desk attendant example responsibilities.

Manage confidential information and documentation, including financial data, and credit card information and payroll checks.
Perform extensive customer service, including communicating with members, scheduling reservations, and fielding complaints.
Count and identify clothing to charge correctly on POS system, rack clothing in order on conveyor belt.
Serve guests in a timely and professional manner, handle money/make change, and work with a POS system.
Monitor cleanliness and organization of yoga studio and lobby areas.
Assist on special projects consisting of transferring reservations to new internal booking system and balancing advance deposits

Front desk clerk vs front desk attendant skills

Common front desk clerk skills

Reservations, 36%
Customer Service, 14%
Night Audit, 4%
Computer System, 4%
Room Availability, 4%
Guest Service, 3%

Common front desk attendant skills

Reservations, 17%
Customer Service, 10%
Cleanliness, 10%
Phone Calls, 9%
Work Ethic, 8%
Guest Satisfaction, 5%

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Front Desk Clerk
Front Desk Clerk vs Front Desk Attendant

Updated January 8, 2025

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