Receptionist demographics and statistics in the US
Receptionist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates receptionist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our receptionist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about receptionists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,532,853 receptionists currently employed in the United States.
- 91.6% of all receptionists are women, while 8.4% are men.
- The average receptionist age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of receptionists is White (54.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (23.5%), Black or African American (10.7%) and Asian (6.1%).
- Receptionists are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The finance industry is the highest-paying for receptionists.
- 6% of all receptionists are LGBT.
On this page
Receptionist demographics by:
Receptionist gender statistics
91.6% of receptionists are women and 8.4% of receptionists are men.
- Female, 91.6%
- Male, 8.4%
Receptionist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 91.6% |
| Male | 8.4% |
Receptionist gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$31,936
Female income
$31,112
Receptionist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in receptionist positions over time. Currently, 91.6% of receptionists are female.
Receptionist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.29% | 92.71% |
| 2011 | 7.79% | 92.21% |
| 2012 | 6.87% | 93.13% |
| 2013 | 7.75% | 92.25% |
| 2014 | 7.49% | 92.51% |
| 2015 | 8.04% | 91.96% |
| 2016 | 7.56% | 92.44% |
| 2017 | 8.03% | 91.97% |
| 2018 | 8.90% | 91.10% |
| 2019 | 7.48% | 92.52% |
| 2020 | 7.43% | 92.57% |
| 2021 | 8.41% | 91.59% |
Receptionist related jobs gender ratio
We compared receptionists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, technical service advisor and courtesy associate have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Loan Secretary | 4% | 96% |
| Dental Receptionist | 5% | 95% |
| Receptionist Secretary | 6% | 94% |
| Receptionist | 8% | 92% |
| Lead Ramp Agent | 86% | 14% |
| Courtesy Associate | 88% | 12% |
| Technical Service Advisor | 89% | 11% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Receptionist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among receptionists is White, which makes up 54.4% of all receptionists. Comparatively, 23.5% of receptionists are Hispanic or Latino and 10.7% of receptionists are Black or African American.
- White, 54.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 23.5%
- Black or African American, 10.7%
- Asian, 6.1%
- Unknown, 4.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Receptionist race
| Receptionist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 54.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 23.5% |
| Black or African American | 10.7% |
| Asian | 6.1% |
| Unknown | 4.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Receptionist race and ethnicity over time
See how receptionist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Receptionist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61.31% | 11.31% | 4.77% | 19.97% |
| 2011 | 60.47% | 11.70% | 4.98% | 19.74% |
| 2012 | 60.31% | 11.32% | 4.92% | 20.29% |
| 2013 | 59.41% | 11.64% | 5.03% | 20.43% |
| 2014 | 59.58% | 11.34% | 5.06% | 20.70% |
| 2015 | 57.84% | 11.88% | 5.20% | 21.82% |
| 2016 | 58.47% | 11.69% | 5.02% | 21.45% |
| 2017 | 56.85% | 11.07% | 5.90% | 22.72% |
| 2018 | 57.19% | 11.56% | 5.33% | 22.38% |
| 2019 | 58.26% | 10.53% | 5.78% | 22.25% |
| 2020 | 56.13% | 10.53% | 5.91% | 22.27% |
| 2021 | 54.37% | 10.69% | 6.08% | 23.50% |
Receptionist wage gap by race
According to our data, asian receptionists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White receptionists have the lowest average salary at $31,591.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $31,876 |
| White | $31,591 |
| Black or African American | $32,003 |
| Asian | $32,380 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $31,835 |
Average receptionist age
See how the average age of receptionists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Receptionist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 38 | 42 |
| Unknown | 30 | 37 |
| Asian | 31 | 38 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 29 | 33 |
| White | 35 | 45 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 38 |
Receptionist age breakdown
The average age of receptionists is 40+ years years old, representing 52% of the receptionist population.
Receptionist age breakdown
| Receptionist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 52% |
| 30-40 years | 20% |
| 20-30 years | 26% |
Receptionist educational attainment
The most common degree for receptionists is high school diploma, with 33% of receptionists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 28% and bachelor's degree degree at 22%.
- High School Diploma, 33%
- Bachelor's, 28%
- Associate, 22%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Receptionists by degree level
| Receptionist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 33% |
| Bachelor's | 28% |
| Associate | 22% |
| Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Receptionist jobs you might like
Receptionist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, receptionists with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $32,779 annually. With a Master's degree, receptionists earn a median annual income of $32,296 compared to $31,875 for receptionists with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $32,296 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $31,137 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $32,779 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $31,875 |
Receptionist employment statistics
Most receptionists work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where receptionists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where receptionists work.
Receptionist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 19% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 26% |
Receptionist jobs by company type
Employees with the receptionist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most receptionists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Receptionist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 6% |
| Public | 23% |
| Private | 69% |
| Government | 1% |
Receptionist jobs by industry
The most common industries for receptionists are health care, professional and retail.
Receptionist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 25% |
| Professional | 14% |
| Fortune 500 | 12% |
| Retail | 7% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Education | 5% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Real Estate | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Receptionist turnover and employment statistics
Receptionist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for receptionists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Receptionist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Receptionist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 11.66% |
| 2011 | 11.10% |
| 2012 | 9.94% |
| 2013 | 9.44% |
| 2014 | 7.52% |
| 2015 | 6.66% |
| 2016 | 5.99% |
| 2017 | 5.17% |
| 2018 | 5.35% |
| 2019 | 4.18% |
| 2020 | 6.41% |
| 2021 | 6.31% |
Average receptionist tenure
The average receptionist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 568,828 receptionists resumes in Zippia's database.
Receptionist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 35% |
| 1-2 years | 36% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 3% |
Receptionist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of receptionists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Receptionist | 6.38% | - |
| Tenant Selector | 6.73% | 4,356 |
| Client Services Professional | 7.19% | 120,316 |
| Document Clerk | 8.60% | 99,244 |
| Commercial Credit Reviewer | 8.99% | 32,691 |
| Pager | 11.16% | 103 |
| Human Resources Secretary | 15.31% | 49,749 |
Similar receptionist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Tenant Selector | 6.73% | 4,356 |
| Client Services Professional | 7.19% | 120,316 |
| Document Clerk | 8.60% | 99,244 |
| Commercial Credit Reviewer | 8.99% | 32,691 |
| Pager | 11.16% | 103 |
| Human Resources Secretary | 15.31% | 49,749 |
Foreign languages spoken by receptionists
The most common foreign language among receptionists is Spanish at 74.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 5.9% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 2.1%.
- Spanish, 74.3%
- French, 5.9%
- Portuguese, 2.1%
- Russian, 1.8%
- German, 1.6%
- Other, 14.3%
Receptionist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 74.3% |
| French | 5.9% |
| Portuguese | 2.1% |
| Russian | 1.8% |
| German | 1.6% |
| Other | 14.3% |
