Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between 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 receptionist and an office receptionist. Additionally, an office receptionist has an average salary of $33,554, which is higher than the $30,571 average annual salary of a receptionist.
The top three skills for a receptionist include patients, phone calls and customer service. The most important skills for an office receptionist are patients, customer service, and phone calls.
| Receptionist | Office Receptionist | |
| Yearly salary | $30,571 | $33,554 |
| Hourly rate | $14.70 | $16.13 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 65,671 | 80,143 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Receptionists are employees assigned at the entrances or lobbies of offices. They welcome guests, check identification, issue visitor badges, attend to questions or inquiries, and direct guests to where they are supposed to go. They also receive general mail or packages, answer calls, and manage schedules. Receptionists perform various clerical or administrative functions as assigned by their supervisors. They should have good client relations skills.
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.
Receptionists and office receptionists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Receptionist | Office Receptionist | |
| Average salary | $30,571 | $33,554 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $38,000 | Between $27,000 And $41,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Minneapolis, MN |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Gensler | Dairy Farmers of America |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a receptionist and an office receptionist in terms of educational background:
| Receptionist | Office Receptionist | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between receptionists' and office receptionists' demographics:
| Receptionist | Office Receptionist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 8.4% Female, 91.6% | Male, 9.5% Female, 90.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 23.5% Asian, 6.1% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | 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% |