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The differences between legal receptionists and office receptionists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a legal receptionist and an office receptionist. Additionally, an office receptionist has an average salary of $33,554, which is higher than the $32,592 average annual salary of a legal receptionist.
The top three skills for a legal receptionist include law firm, paralegals and litigation. The most important skills for an office receptionist are patients, customer service, and phone calls.
| Legal Receptionist | Office Receptionist | |
| Yearly salary | $32,592 | $33,554 |
| Hourly rate | $15.67 | $16.13 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 23,699 | 80,143 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
In law firms, a legal receptionist serves the clients' first point of contact. They are primarily in charge of greeting and professionally interacting with clients, identifying their needs, answering questions, and escorting visitors to offices. They must also perform clerical tasks such as handling calls and correspondence, arranging appointments, confirming schedules, maintaining records, managing the flow and deliveries of mails and other forms of documentation, and assisting attorneys as needed. Furthermore, a legal receptionist must manage the law firm's facilities, such as the lobby and meeting offices.
An office receptionist, or administrative assistant, performs various administrative tasks for an organization. These tasks may include answering phone calls, providing the public and customers with information, and warmly welcoming, greeting, and directing visitors or guests accordingly. Additionally, an office receptionist is responsible for maintaining security by issuing visitor badges, monitoring logbooks, and following procedures. Administrative assistants are also responsible for preparing and processing travel vouchers and other documents. Some employers prefer someone with a college or bachelor's degree, telephone skills, and excellent communication skills.
Legal receptionists and office receptionists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Legal Receptionist | Office Receptionist | |
| Average salary | $32,592 | $33,554 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $42,000 | Between $27,000 And $41,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Minneapolis, MN |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Winget | Dairy Farmers of America |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a legal receptionist and an office receptionist in terms of educational background:
| Legal Receptionist | Office Receptionist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Most common major | Legal Support Services | Business |
| Most common college | - | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between legal receptionists' and office receptionists' demographics:
| Legal Receptionist | Office Receptionist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 6.0% Female, 94.0% | Male, 9.5% Female, 90.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 23.9% Asian, 5.7% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.6% Asian, 6.4% White, 55.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |