Best states for a front desk receptionist

Q: What is the best state for front desk receptionists?

The best state to be a front desk receptionist is Washington based on front desk receptionist salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for front desk receptionists?

The highest paying state for front desk receptionists is South Carolina based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for front desk receptionists?

The worst state for front desk receptionists is Alabama, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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It seems like front desk receptionists are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for front desk receptionists aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. In order to help you decide which state is the best for front desk receptionists, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for front desk receptionist jobs.

To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for front desk receptionists. Washington is the best state for front desk receptionists, where the median salary is $41,591.Washington is the best state, and Anchorage is the city with the highest pay for front desk receptionists.

10 best states for front desk receptionists in 2025

1. Washington
Total front desk receptionist jobs: 1,226
Average annual salary: $41,591
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Location Quotient:
1.06
Front desk receptionist jobs in Washington
2. Maine
Total front desk receptionist jobs: 350
Average annual salary: $34,369
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
1.67
Front desk receptionist jobs in Maine
3. Alaska
Total front desk receptionist jobs: 125
Average annual salary: $41,750
Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000
Location Quotient:
0.95
Front desk receptionist jobs in Alaska
4. Connecticut
Total front desk receptionist jobs: 551
Average annual salary: $35,964
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
1.05
Front desk receptionist jobs in Connecticut
5. Oregon
Total front desk receptionist jobs: 593
Average annual salary: $39,016
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000
Location Quotient:
0.91
Front desk receptionist jobs in Oregon
6. New York
Total front desk receptionist jobs: 2,174
Average annual salary: $36,351
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
1.07
Front desk receptionist jobs in New York
7. Rhode Island
Total front desk receptionist jobs: 185
Average annual salary: $34,724
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
0.96
Front desk receptionist jobs in Rhode Island
8. New Jersey
Total front desk receptionist jobs: 1,625
Average annual salary: $34,377
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.3
Front desk receptionist jobs in New Jersey
9. Michigan
Total front desk receptionist jobs: 1,351
Average annual salary: $32,305
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Front desk receptionist jobs in Michigan
10. Minnesota
Total front desk receptionist jobs: 954
Average annual salary: $34,261
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
0.91
Front desk receptionist jobs in Minnesota

Front desk receptionist jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a front desk receptionist

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a front desk receptionist

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Washington	$41,591	$33,000	7,405,743	1,226
2	Maine	$34,369	$28,000	1,335,907	350
3	Alaska	$41,750	$35,000	739,795	125
4	Connecticut	$35,964	$28,000	3,588,184	551
5	Oregon	$39,016	$30,000	4,142,776	593
6	New York	$36,351	$28,000	19,849,399	2,174
7	Rhode Island	$34,724	$27,000	1,059,639	185
8	New Jersey	$34,377	$27,000	9,005,644	1,625
9	Michigan	$32,305	$25,000	9,962,311	1,351
10	Minnesota	$34,261	$27,000	5,576,606	954
11	Wisconsin	$33,022	$26,000	5,795,483	820
12	New Hampshire	$32,556	$26,000	1,342,795	285
13	Massachusetts	$35,779	$28,000	6,859,819	1,229
14	Iowa	$30,793	$24,000	3,145,711	653
15	Arizona	$31,981	$25,000	7,016,270	989
16	California	$36,996	$29,000	39,536,653	4,207
17	Vermont	$35,122	$28,000	623,657	80
18	Hawaii	$34,463	$28,000	1,427,538	148
19	Montana	$31,000	$24,000	1,050,493	209
20	Pennsylvania	$30,109	$23,000	12,805,537	2,035
21	North Dakota	$33,268	$27,000	755,393	93
22	South Dakota	$32,320	$25,000	869,666	132
23	Illinois	$32,738	$26,000	12,802,023	1,665
24	Nevada	$30,832	$24,000	2,998,039	321
25	District of Columbia	$37,212	$29,000	693,972	175
26	Indiana	$29,729	$23,000	6,666,818	1,020
27	Colorado	$33,643	$26,000	5,607,154	766
28	Utah	$29,647	$23,000	3,101,833	548
29	Wyoming	$30,728	$24,000	579,315	79
30	Kentucky	$29,252	$23,000	4,454,189	581
31	Maryland	$31,832	$25,000	6,052,177	963
32	Kansas	$30,257	$24,000	2,913,123	423
33	Missouri	$29,188	$23,000	6,113,532	1,041
34	Ohio	$28,421	$22,000	11,658,609	1,608
35	Idaho	$30,806	$24,000	1,716,943	196
36	Mississippi	$28,851	$22,000	2,984,100	326
37	Nebraska	$30,063	$24,000	1,920,076	286
38	Tennessee	$27,369	$21,000	6,715,984	1,153
39	Texas	$28,510	$22,000	28,304,596	3,420
40	Virginia	$30,040	$23,000	8,470,020	1,353
41	Oklahoma	$27,624	$22,000	3,930,864	524
42	Florida	$27,427	$21,000	20,984,400	3,170
43	West Virginia	$27,225	$21,000	1,815,857	239
44	New Mexico	$28,850	$22,000	2,088,070	274
45	Delaware	$28,587	$22,000	961,939	165
46	North Carolina	$28,312	$22,000	10,273,419	1,237
47	Georgia	$27,483	$21,000	10,429,379	1,464
48	Louisiana	$25,679	$20,000	4,684,333	473
49	Arkansas	$26,102	$20,000	3,004,279	362
50	South Carolina	$24,732	$19,000	5,024,369	675
51	Alabama	$25,011	$19,000	4,874,747	601

Highest paying states for front desk receptionists

Rank	State	Avg. Front Desk Receptionist Salary
1	Washington	$41,591
2	Maine	$34,369
3	Alaska	$41,750
4	Connecticut	$35,964
5	Oregon	$39,016
6	New York	$36,351
7	Rhode Island	$34,724
8	New Jersey	$34,377
9	Michigan	$32,305
10	Minnesota	$34,261
11	Wisconsin	$33,022
12	New Hampshire	$32,556
13	Massachusetts	$35,779
14	Iowa	$30,793
15	Arizona	$31,981
16	California	$36,996
17	Vermont	$35,122
18	Hawaii	$34,463
19	Montana	$31,000
20	Pennsylvania	$30,109
21	North Dakota	$33,268
22	South Dakota	$32,320
23	Illinois	$32,738
24	Nevada	$30,832
25	District of Columbia	$37,212
26	Indiana	$29,729
27	Colorado	$33,643
28	Utah	$29,647
29	Wyoming	$30,728
30	Kentucky	$29,252
31	Maryland	$31,832
32	Kansas	$30,257
33	Missouri	$29,188
34	Ohio	$28,421
35	Idaho	$30,806
36	Mississippi	$28,851
37	Nebraska	$30,063
38	Tennessee	$27,369
39	Texas	$28,510
40	Virginia	$30,040
41	Oklahoma	$27,624
42	Florida	$27,427
43	West Virginia	$27,225
44	New Mexico	$28,850
45	Delaware	$28,587
46	North Carolina	$28,312
47	Georgia	$27,483
48	Louisiana	$25,679
49	Arkansas	$26,102
50	South Carolina	$24,732
51	Alabama	$25,011

Front desk receptionist best states FAQs

What is the best state for front desk receptionists?

What is the highest paying state for front desk receptionists?

What is the worst state for front desk receptionists?

Have more questions? See all answers to common office and administrative questions.

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Best states for Front Desk Receptionists

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total front desk receptionist jobs:	1,226
Average annual salary:	$41,591
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$33,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$52,000
Location Quotient:	1.06

Best states for a front desk receptionist

10 best states for front desk receptionists in 2025

1. Washington

2. Maine

3. Alaska

4. Connecticut

5. Oregon

6. New York

7. Rhode Island

8. New Jersey

9. Michigan

10. Minnesota