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The differences between receptionists and secretaries 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 a secretary. Additionally, a secretary has an average salary of $36,442, 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 a secretary are customer service, telephone calls, and payroll.
| Receptionist | Secretary | |
| Yearly salary | $30,571 | $36,442 |
| Hourly rate | $14.70 | $17.52 |
| Growth rate | - | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 65,671 | 69,315 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 42 | 50 |
| 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.
Secretaries are employees who are responsible for many of the administrative needs of the office. They are usually assigned to executives or to a specific department. They manage schedules and appointments, often handling the calendar in the office. They are also responsible for keeping files organized, whether physical or digital copies. During office meetings, secretaries are in charge of documenting the minutes of the meeting and highlighting the action steps that need to be taken. They may also be assigned to check on concerned departments who need to present deliverables in the next office meeting.
Receptionists and secretaries have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Receptionist | Secretary | |
| Average salary | $30,571 | $36,442 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $38,000 | Between $26,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Gensler | Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Government |
There are a few differences between a receptionist and a secretary in terms of educational background:
| Receptionist | Secretary | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between receptionists' and secretaries' demographics:
| Receptionist | Secretary | |
| Average age | 42 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 8.4% Female, 91.6% | Male, 10.1% Female, 89.9% |
| 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, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 3.9% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |