Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for front desk office assistants in the United States
Front desk office assistant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected front desk office assistant job growth rate is -5% from 2018-2028.
About -130,800 new jobs for front desk office assistants are projected over the next decade.
Front desk office assistant salaries have increased 16% for front desk office assistants in the last 5 years.
There are over 950,633 front desk office assistants currently employed in the United States.
There are 113,589 active front desk office assistant job openings in the US.
The average front desk office assistant salary is $31,361.
Are front desk office assistant jobs in demand?
Front desk office assistant job and salary trends over time
Front desk office assistant jobs over time
Front desk office assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 950,633 | 0.28% |
| 2020 | 1,006,649 | 0.30% |
| 2019 | 1,073,986 | 0.32% |
| 2018 | 1,076,164 | 0.32% |
| 2017 | 1,068,709 | 0.32% |
Average front desk office assistant salary over time
Front desk office assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $31,361 | $15.08 | +3.8% |
| 2025 | $30,216 | $14.53 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | $29,053 | $13.97 | +3.9% |
| 2023 | $27,961 | $13.44 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | $27,145 | $13.05 | +3.4% |
Front desk office assistant jobs by state
Most common states for front desk office assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 277 | 40% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 223 | 30% |
| 3 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 289 | 28% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,567 | 23% |
| 5 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 719 | 23% |
| 6 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 131 | 23% |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 298 | 22% |
| 8 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,780 | 21% |
| 9 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 652 | 21% |
| 10 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,106 | 20% |
| 11 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 827 | 20% |
| 12 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 150 | 20% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,041 | 19% |
| 14 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 368 | 19% |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 203 | 19% |
| 16 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 3,677 | 18% |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,251 | 18% |
| 18 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,082 | 18% |
| 19 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 243 | 18% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 111 | 18% |
Most common cities for front desk office assistants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Towson | 3 | 5% | $39,809 |
| 2 | Douglasville | 1 | 3% | $30,784 |
| 3 | North Ridgeville | 1 | 3% | $32,723 |
| 4 | Owings Mills | 1 | 3% | $39,748 |
| 5 | Bowie | 1 | 2% | $39,460 |
| 6 | Ellicott City | 1 | 2% | $39,650 |
| 7 | Frederick | 1 | 1% | $39,513 |
| 8 | Hollywood | 1 | 1% | $31,099 |
| 9 | Bakersfield | 1 | 0% | $35,623 |
| 10 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $39,741 |
| 11 | Cleveland | 1 | 0% | $32,916 |
| 12 | Fort Worth | 1 | 0% | $37,036 |
| 13 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $35,805 |
| 14 | Memphis | 1 | 0% | $29,386 |
| 15 | Montgomery | 1 | 0% | $26,783 |
| 16 | New York | 1 | 0% | $39,587 |
Front Desk Office Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of front desk office assistant experts
Ohio University
Missouri University of Science & Technology
Manhattan College
College of Charleston
Dixie State University
Albright College
West Liberty University
West Virginia State University
What skills stand out on Front Desk Office Assistant resumes?
Allison White: Knowledge of spreadsheets software such as MS Excel is a commonly sought-after skill. Employers want word processing and spreadsheet skills but often say they want high school graduates and pay accordingly. These skills aren't always taught in high school. Those in the field should seek these skills. Additionally, medical and legal assistants have highly sought after. Terminology courses for these specialized areas are sometimes offered at the vocational schools but are usually offered at the post-secondary level.
What soft skills should all Front Desk Office Assistants possess?
Allison White: Employers have told me repeatedly that soft skills are often the most important. They will ask for my reference after I've gotten to know a student and been able to identify their communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills. They want someone to take the initiative yet know when to ask questions. Customer service skills and confidentiality were also voiced by our internship supervisors. Verbal and non-verbal communication is a must. The applicant must be able to write well!!
What hard/technical skills are most important for Front Desk Office Assistants?
Allison White: In addition to production software skills, including MS Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, we often taught database skills using MS Access. Every employer has an employee database and a customer/client database that requires input and sometimes maintenance by office personnel. Keyboarding (65+ wpm), basic bookkeeping/accounting, and filing skills are a must.
Christi Patton Luks
Professor (NTT) and Associate Chair for Academic AffairsMissouri University of Science & Technology
Linda & Bipin Doshi Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering
What's a good job out of college for Front Desk Office Assistants?
Christi Patton Luks: A good job out of college is one that can be adapted to the individual's skills and interests and encourages them to stretch. Frequently, students think they want to work in a particular type of job. Once they have it, they discover that it was not what they thought it would be. Many companies rotate new employees through a variety of positions. Those are great for helping people find their own hidden talents. I know that I have discovered abilities that I would not have even attempted when I was 20.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Front Desk Office Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Robert Geraci Ph.D.: Two critical things happened in 2020 that will bring changes to the job market: the COVID-19 pandemic and the social justice movements, particularly the Black Lives Matter movement. In the aftermath of COVID-19, I expect we'll see considerable demand for health service professionals as people look to cope with difficulties imposed by isolation. In addition, we'll see shifts in how and where people work--many will be able to remain at home and this will create a shifting landscape of job descriptions and opportunities. Many employees will want to go back to the social experience of working together, but others will prefer the flexibility of working from home.
The impact of Black Lives Matter and other social justice movements will create more interest in the development of products (especially, but not exclusively, in entertainment) that are available to and interesting for a wider swath of society. There will also be growth in business consulting efforts to improve corporate culture. Religious Studies graduates will be particularly well-positioned for such jobs, based on the cross-cultural perspectives gleaned from study in the field.
What experience really stands out on Front Desk Office Assistant resumes?
Jacob Craig Ph.D.: I believe strongly in dexterity and a language of expertise. That means that if a student can show they can adapt to new demands by learning a new way of working, learning about a new audience, learning how to address a new purpose, learning a new genre or style, and learning a new technology, that employee attractive. Especially at the entry-level, the ability to learn and adapt is valuable. Being able to talk about their experience using a persuasive vocabulary is often useful. For instance, if students can describe their approach to communication without using cliches (short and sweet, clear) and something along the lines of purpose, audience, situation, genre, medium--that's persuasive.
Dr. Mike Peterson Ph.D.
Department Chair and Associate Professor of EnglishDixie State University
English Department
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Front Desk Office Assistants to find work opportunities?
Dr. Mike Peterson Ph.D.: The great thing about a degree in English is that graduates can find work anywhere: teaching, freelance writing, technical writing, content production, editing, reporting-you name it. There are ample jobs in small towns and large cities in all of these areas. English degrees are also highly valued in a variety of jobs-such as sales, public relations, marketing, and paralegal work-because employers know these applicants, from day one, will have strong skills in writing, communication, critical thinking, and creative thinking.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Front Desk Office Assistants?
Guillaume de Syon Ph.D.: In the short term, yes, partly because the learning varied in coverage and sometimes quality. Compressed courses may have included the same objectives as regular, semester-long ones, but reading and writing had to be rescaled. Even courses running a regular semester were affected by distance learning.
Furthermore, internships and other campus jobs were frozen, thus affecting income, but also experience the graduates could share with potential employers. It is too soon to tell how much more of an impact the pandemic will have, but the fact that it will have affected at least two college years will prompt a reevaluation of the campus experience.
Dr. Darrin Cox
Professor of HistoryWest Liberty University
College of Liberal Arts
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Front Desk Office Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Darrin Cox: The need for adaptability. Companies are going to focus more on hiring people with a wide array of skills and abilities that provide them the kind of adaptability needed for the modern workspace. It's one of the reasons why I think humanities and social science degrees will be in more demand in the coming years. At their core, these degrees are about analyzing how we interact in the social world while providing specific training in critical thinking, reasoning, and writing. Basically, employers will be looking for those who are tech savvy, but less so in terms of how to operate specific applications or technology and more so in ways that they can be adapted to best suit the needs of the company.
Anne McConnell Ph.D.
ProfessorWest Virginia State University
English Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Front Desk Office Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Anne McConnell Ph.D.: While we all hope and expect life to get 'back to normal' at some point, we also live in a new reality now. Some of the adaptations we have made in order to work during the pandemic might indeed stick around. I think employers want to hire someone who can be flexible and productive in a variety of environments. Can you work at home and manage your schedule and workload if you're not 'coming to an office' every day? Are you an independent worker who can meet goals without a lot of hand-holding? Are your communication skills strong?
I don't have much to say about potential job trends, but I do think that employers understand that, no matter the job, they need people who have strong critical thinking and communication skills. English majors are prepared to do that, and I know of English graduates who have been hired in a variety of fields, specifically because they are strong writers and thinkers.