Front desk clerk vs receptionist/billing clerk

The differences between front desk clerks and receptionist/billing clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a receptionist/billing clerk has an average salary of $31,932, 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 receptionist/billing clerk are patients, data entry, and customer service.

Front desk clerk vs receptionist/billing clerk overview

	Front Desk Clerk	Receptionist/Billing Clerk
Yearly salary	$26,669	$31,932
Hourly rate	$12.82	$15.35
Growth rate	-	-
Number of jobs	141,042	129,530
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 35%	High School Diploma, 31%
Average age	37	42
Years of experience	-	2

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 receptionist/billing clerk do?

A receptionist/billing clerk is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties as needed to maintain a smooth flow of operations for the business. Receptionist/billing clerks process the customers' payment transactions, manage account payables, releasing invoices, and immediately resolve account discrepancies. A receptionist/billing clerk must have excellent communication and analytical skills, responding to customers' inquiries and concerns, escalating high-level complaints to the billing management. They should also maintain records of financial documentation for reference and reconciliation as needed.

Front desk clerk vs receptionist/billing clerk salary

Front desk clerks and receptionist/billing clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Front Desk Clerk	Receptionist/Billing Clerk
Average salary	$26,669	$31,932
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $33,000	Between $26,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Santa Maria, CA
Highest paying state	Hawaii	Alaska
Best paying company	Hilton Grand Vacations	Leggett & Platt
Best paying industry	Retail	Technology

Differences between front desk clerk and receptionist/billing clerk education

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

	Front Desk Clerk	Receptionist/Billing Clerk
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 35%	High School Diploma, 31%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Front desk clerk vs receptionist/billing clerk demographics

Here are the differences between front desk clerks' and receptionist/billing clerks' demographics:

	Front Desk Clerk	Receptionist/Billing Clerk
Average age	37	42
Gender ratio	Male, 24.2% Female, 75.8%	Male, 7.2% Female, 92.8%
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, 10.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 25.0% Asian, 5.7% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	13%	6%

Differences between front desk clerk and receptionist/billing clerk 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.

Receptionist/billing clerk example responsibilities.

Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
Obtain and track all insurance referrals for patients with HMO products.
Coordinate in-processing of all patients, to include accurate insurance information and payments are entered correctly into office computer system.
Move from SNF billing to HMO outpatient billing and keep a large alpha current.
Maintain confidentiality and adherence to HIPAA guidelines.
Develop effective billing strategies for Medicaid recipients according to HIPPA rules and regulations.

Front desk clerk vs receptionist/billing clerk skills

Common front desk clerk skills

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

Common receptionist/billing clerk skills

Patients, 25%
Data Entry, 11%
Customer Service, 9%
Telephone Calls, 7%
Appointment Scheduling, 6%
Front Desk, 5%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Front Desk Clerk
Front Desk Clerk vs Receptionist/Billing Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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