Receptionists and Information Clerks salary in the U.S.
Receptionists and Information Clerks in the U.S. earn a median of $38,010 a year ($18.27 an hour), based on BLS data for 910,180 workers.
Pay ranges from $28,760 for the lowest-paid 10% to $49,950 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $39,460, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for receptionists and information clerks in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $28,760 | $13.83 |
| 25th percentile | $33,960 | $16.33 |
| Median | $38,010 | $18.27 |
| 75th percentile | $45,130 | $21.70 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $49,950 | $24.01 |
| Average (mean) | $39,460 | $18.97 |
Half of receptionists and information clerks earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,167.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,583.75 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,461.92 |
| Weekly | $730.96 |
| Hourly | $18.27 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Receptionists and Information Clerks salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $49,060 | 2,000 |
| Alaska | $44,720 | 1,530 |
| Washington | $44,710 | 26,500 |
| California | $44,100 | 82,470 |
| Massachusetts | $43,870 | 18,970 |
| New York | $43,080 | 65,010 |
| Rhode Island | $42,620 | 4,270 |
| Maine | $42,440 | 3,440 |
| Colorado | $42,010 | 11,020 |
| New Jersey | $41,650 | 42,060 |
| Hawaii | $41,600 | 3,510 |
| Wisconsin | $41,150 | 25,580 |
| Oregon | $40,900 | 13,590 |
| Connecticut | $40,630 | 14,980 |
| North Dakota | $39,530 | 1,930 |
| Arizona | $38,730 | 23,220 |
| Vermont | $38,370 | 1,160 |
| South Dakota | $38,280 | 5,760 |
| New Hampshire | $38,160 | 5,320 |
| Maryland | $38,100 | 18,390 |
| Nebraska | $37,860 | 6,750 |
| Minnesota | $37,510 | 11,800 |
| Wyoming | $37,480 | 1,540 |
| Michigan | $37,470 | 25,230 |
| Illinois | $37,400 | 40,370 |
| Montana | $37,360 | 1,280 |
| Iowa | $37,330 | 4,660 |
| Virginia | $37,060 | 23,360 |
| Nevada | $37,050 | 10,650 |
| Utah | $36,960 | 12,020 |
| Florida | $36,810 | 63,280 |
| Idaho | $36,810 | 5,340 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,810 | 37,830 |
| Delaware | $36,310 | 2,880 |
| Indiana | $36,160 | 17,360 |
| Georgia | $36,100 | 26,080 |
| Kansas | $36,050 | 7,290 |
| Ohio | $35,920 | 30,850 |
| Missouri | $35,740 | 18,890 |
| South Carolina | $35,510 | 11,280 |
| North Carolina | $35,440 | 20,080 |
| Texas | $35,210 | 78,330 |
| New Mexico | $35,140 | 5,650 |
| Tennessee | $34,910 | 11,460 |
| Arkansas | $34,840 | 10,870 |
| Virgin Islands | $34,630 | 120 |
| Oklahoma | $34,560 | 9,380 |
| Kentucky | $32,940 | 9,290 |
| Louisiana | $32,750 | 12,820 |
| Alabama | $32,590 | 10,460 |
| West Virginia | $31,920 | 5,470 |
| Mississippi | $31,160 | 6,920 |
| Guam | $23,290 | 210 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,890 | 4,030 |
Best-paying metro areas for receptionists and information clerks
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $49,450 | 8,510 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $47,260 | 160 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $47,130 | 3,990 |
| Napa, CA | $46,850 | 280 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $45,820 | 670 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $45,820 | 14,260 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $45,650 | 180 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $45,550 | 1,160 |
| Vallejo, CA | $45,500 | 720 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $45,430 | 610 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $45,140 | 4,570 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $45,060 | 450 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $44,980 | 510 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $44,890 | 690 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $44,770 | 1,730 |
Metro areas with the most receptionists and information clerks
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 74,190 | $44,690 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 35,000 | $43,280 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 30,540 | $38,060 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 22,210 | $38,030 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 21,380 | $37,060 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 19,850 | $37,570 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 17,920 | $41,240 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 17,140 | $35,350 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 16,850 | $39,340 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 15,710 | $37,530 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 14,320 | $43,930 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 14,260 | $45,820 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 11,100 | $38,220 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 10,290 | $36,640 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 8,780 | $38,000 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service Representative | $44,770 | $21.53 |
| Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks | $35,070 | $16.86 |
| Court, Municipal, and License Clerks | $48,700 | $23.41 |
| Loan Interviewers and Clerks | $50,020 | $24.05 |
| Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | $54,210 | $26.06 |
| Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan | $45,920 | $22.08 |
| Information and Record Clerks, All Other | $49,500 | $23.80 |
| Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks | $44,390 | $21.34 |
| Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $50,610 | $24.33 |
| Library Assistants, Clerical | $36,910 | $17.74 |
| Order Clerk | $46,170 | $22.20 |
| File Clerk | $43,600 | $20.96 |
| New Accounts Clerk | $47,670 | $22.92 |
| Brokerage Clerk | $65,750 | $31.61 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 43-4171. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a receptionists and information clerks make in the U.S.?
The median salary for receptionists and information clerks in the U.S. is $38,010 a year, or $18.27 an hour. Pay ranges from $28,760 for the lowest-paid 10% to $49,950 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid receptionists and information clerks make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of receptionists and information clerks in the U.S. earn at least $49,950 a year. The top 25% earn $45,130 or more.
What is the starting pay for receptionists and information clerks in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $28,760 a year, and a quarter of receptionists and information clerks earn $33,960 or less.
How many receptionists and information clerks work in the U.S.?
About 910,180 receptionists and information clerks are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.