Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for receptionists in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- 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 age of an employed receptionist 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.
Receptionist Statistics By Gender
91.6% of receptionists are women and 8.4% of receptionists are men.
- Female, 91.6%
- Male, 8.4%
Receptionists By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 91.6% |
| Male | 8.4% |
Gender Pay Gap For Receptionist
Women Earn 97ยข For Every $1 Earned By Men
Receptionist Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the receptionist position over time.
Receptionist Gender 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 Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, technical service advisor and courtesy associate have the biggest difference in gender.
| 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% |
Receptionist Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among receptionists is White, which makes up 54.4% of all receptionists. Comparatively, there are 23.5% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 10.7% of the Black or African American ethnicity.
- 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
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among receptionists.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Receptionist Race 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
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $31,876 |
| White | $31,591 |
| Black or African American | $32,003 |
| Asian | $32,380 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $31,835 |
Average Age of a Receptionist
We determined the average age of receptionists based on ethnicity and gender.
Receptionist Age By Race
| 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
This chart breaks down the ages of receptionist employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of receptionists is 40+ years old, which represents 52% of the population.
Receptionist Age
| Receptionist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 52% |
| 30-40 years | 20% |
| 20-30 years | 26% |
Types of Receptionist Degree Levels
The most common degree for receptionists is high school diploma 33% of receptionists earn that degree. A close second is bachelor's degree with 28% and rounding it off is associate degree with 22%.
- High School Diploma, 33%
- Bachelors, 28%
- Associate, 22%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Receptionists By Education
| Receptionist Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 33% |
| Bachelors | 28% |
| Associate | 22% |
| Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Receptionist Jobs You Might Like
Receptionist Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $31,137 |
| Master's Degree | $32,296 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $32,779 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $31,875 |
Receptionist Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where receptionists work. We found most receptionists work for a private company. In addition, the industry that employs the most receptionists is the health care industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire receptionists.
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% |
The Types Of Companies Receptionist Work In
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% |
Top Industries Hiring Receptionists
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ receptionists. Those industries include 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 Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of receptionists changed.
- Unemployment rate
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% |
The Average Number of Years That Receptionist Stay in a Job
By looking over 568,828 receptionists resumes, we figured out that the average receptionist enjoys staying at their job for 1-2 years for a percentage of 36%.
Receptionist Tenure
| Number or 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% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Receptionists with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to receptionists.
| 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 |
Receptionist 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% |
