Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between medical receptionists and administrative 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 medical receptionist and an administrative receptionist. Additionally, a medical receptionist has an average salary of $31,960, which is higher than the $31,502 average annual salary of an administrative receptionist.
The top three skills for a medical receptionist include patients, customer service and check-in. The most important skills for an administrative receptionist are customer service, patients, and data entry.
| Medical Receptionist | Administrative Receptionist | |
| Yearly salary | $31,960 | $31,502 |
| Hourly rate | $15.37 | $15.15 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 118,048 | 91,892 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 28% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 49 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Medical receptionists are responsible for manning the front desk at a medical facility such as a clinic or a hospital. They manage schedules and appointments in the clinic or hospital. They help patients to their respective appointments. They also assist doctors, nurses, and other medical practitioners by ensuring that the schedule for the day is being followed. They are also in charge of assisting visitors by directing them wherever they would need to go. Medical receptionists also answer inquiries by patients or visitors. Medical knowledge, great customer service skills, and a friendly attitude are needed.
An administrative receptionist is responsible for performing administrative tasks, handling visitors' inquiries and concerns, verifying appointments, and leading them to the appropriate personnel and department, as well as handling and routing calls. Administrative receptionists also keep records of the staff meeting and executive conference, including company and promotional events. They receive packages and mail, sort documents, manage office supply inventories, create incident reports, and report suspicious guests within the premises. An administrative receptionist must have excellent communication and customer service skills, especially on resolving and escalating complaints.
Medical receptionists and administrative receptionists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Receptionist | Administrative Receptionist | |
| Average salary | $31,960 | $31,502 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $38,000 | Between $25,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | Portland, ME | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Washington |
| Best paying company | CENTER FOR SIGHT | Beacon Hill Staffing Group |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a medical receptionist and an administrative receptionist in terms of educational background:
| Medical Receptionist | Administrative Receptionist | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 28% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Health Care Administration | Business |
| Most common college | - | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between medical receptionists' and administrative receptionists' demographics:
| Medical Receptionist | Administrative Receptionist | |
| Average age | 49 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 5.2% Female, 94.8% | Male, 8.0% Female, 92.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 6% |