Registration clerk vs receptionist/billing clerk

The differences between registration clerks and receptionist/billing clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a registration clerk and a receptionist/billing clerk. Additionally, a receptionist/billing clerk has an average salary of $31,932, which is higher than the $30,061 average annual salary of a registration clerk.

The top three skills for a registration clerk include patients, medical terminology and customer service. The most important skills for a receptionist/billing clerk are patients, data entry, and customer service.

Registration clerk vs receptionist/billing clerk overview

	Registration Clerk	Receptionist/Billing Clerk
Yearly salary	$30,061	$31,932
Hourly rate	$14.45	$15.35
Growth rate	-	-
Number of jobs	123,390	129,530
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 28%	High School Diploma, 31%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	2	2

What does a registration clerk do?

A registration clerk is responsible for performing administrative and clerical tasks for patients' admission in a health care setting. Registration clerks assist patients with filling out hospital forms, verifying their medical histories, and confirming their insurance details. They also respond to the patients' inquiries and concerns, as well as directing them to the appropriate facility for their medical needs. A registration clerk must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially on managing appointments and ensuring that the patients receive the highest quality of health care.

What does a receptionist/billing clerk do?

A receptionist/billing clerk is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties as needed to maintain a smooth flow of operations for the business. Receptionist/billing clerks process the customers' payment transactions, manage account payables, releasing invoices, and immediately resolve account discrepancies. A receptionist/billing clerk must have excellent communication and analytical skills, responding to customers' inquiries and concerns, escalating high-level complaints to the billing management. They should also maintain records of financial documentation for reference and reconciliation as needed.

Registration clerk vs receptionist/billing clerk salary

Registration clerks and receptionist/billing clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Registration Clerk	Receptionist/Billing Clerk
Average salary	$30,061	$31,932
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $39,000	Between $26,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Santa Maria, CA
Highest paying state	California	Alaska
Best paying company	Hancock Wellness	Leggett & Platt
Best paying industry	Health Care	Technology

Differences between registration clerk and receptionist/billing clerk education

There are a few differences between a registration clerk and a receptionist/billing clerk in terms of educational background:

	Registration Clerk	Receptionist/Billing Clerk
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 28%	High School Diploma, 31%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	-

Registration clerk vs receptionist/billing clerk demographics

Here are the differences between registration clerks' and receptionist/billing clerks' demographics:

	Registration Clerk	Receptionist/Billing Clerk
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 11.8% Female, 88.2%	Male, 7.2% Female, 92.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% Asian, 4.4% White, 55.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 25.0% Asian, 5.7% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	9%	6%

Differences between registration clerk and receptionist/billing clerk duties and responsibilities

Registration clerk example responsibilities.

Use EMR software to manage patient records and files, reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA and clinic.
Perform EKG for cardiac patients.
Verify eligibility for Medicaid patients register through insurance websites.
Conduct initial intake interview and register patients for hospital procedures and day surgery.
Register patients, including radiology inpatient and outpatient for medical services accordance of insurance guidelines.
Procure past EKG and additional information as per physicians request from ALTHA.

Receptionist/billing clerk example responsibilities.

Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
Obtain and track all insurance referrals for patients with HMO products.
Coordinate in-processing of all patients, to include accurate insurance information and payments are entered correctly into office computer system.
Move from SNF billing to HMO outpatient billing and keep a large alpha current.
Maintain confidentiality and adherence to HIPAA guidelines.
Develop effective billing strategies for Medicaid recipients according to HIPPA rules and regulations.

Registration clerk vs receptionist/billing clerk skills

Common registration clerk skills

Patients, 40%
Medical Terminology, 5%
Customer Service, 5%
Patient Registration, 3%
Computer System, 3%
Insurance Verification, 3%

Common receptionist/billing clerk skills

Patients, 25%
Data Entry, 11%
Customer Service, 9%
Telephone Calls, 7%
Appointment Scheduling, 6%
Front Desk, 5%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Registration Clerk
Registration Clerk vs Receptionist/Billing Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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