Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021
43-4171 Receptionists and Information Clerks
Answer inquiries and provide information to the general public, customers, visitors, and other interested parties regarding activities conducted at establishment and location of departments, offices, and employees within the organization. Excludes “Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service” (43-2011).
National estimates for Receptionists and Information Clerks
Industry profile for Receptionists and Information Clerks
Geographic profile for Receptionists and Information Clerks
National estimates for Receptionists and Information Clerks:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Receptionists and Information Clerks:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 983,150 |
0.6 % |
$ 15.82 |
$ 32,910 |
0.2 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Receptionists and Information Clerks:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 11.08 |
$ 13.66 |
$ 14.40 |
$ 17.78 |
$ 22.00 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 23,050 |
$ 28,420 |
$ 29,950 |
$ 36,980 |
$ 45,760 |
Industry profile for Receptionists and Information Clerks:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Receptionists and Information Clerks are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Receptionists and Information Clerks, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Receptionists and Information Clerks:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Offices of Physicians |
183,090 |
6.79 |
$ 16.19 |
$ 33,670 |
| Offices of Dentists |
88,740 |
9.14 |
$ 18.59 |
$ 38,660 |
| Personal Care Services |
68,360 |
10.50 |
$ 13.38 |
$ 27,820 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners |
63,490 |
6.53 |
$ 15.21 |
$ 31,650 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services |
62,170 |
8.15 |
$ 15.34 |
$ 31,920 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Receptionists and Information Clerks:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Personal Care Services |
68,360 |
10.50 |
$ 13.38 |
$ 27,820 |
| Offices of Dentists |
88,740 |
9.14 |
$ 18.59 |
$ 38,660 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services |
62,170 |
8.15 |
$ 15.34 |
$ 31,920 |
| Offices of Physicians |
183,090 |
6.79 |
$ 16.19 |
$ 33,670 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners |
63,490 |
6.53 |
$ 15.21 |
$ 31,650 |
Top paying industries for Receptionists and Information Clerks:
Geographic profile for Receptionists and Information Clerks:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Receptionists and Information Clerks are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Receptionists and Information Clerks, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Receptionists and Information Clerks:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Texas |
82,220 |
6.73 |
0.96 |
$ 14.55 |
$ 30,270 |
| California |
79,660 |
4.82 |
0.69 |
$ 18.10 |
$ 37,640 |
| Florida |
72,920 |
8.47 |
1.21 |
$ 14.84 |
$ 30,880 |
| New York |
63,980 |
7.38 |
1.06 |
$ 18.22 |
$ 37,890 |
| New Jersey |
52,670 |
13.68 |
1.96 |
$ 17.37 |
$ 36,120 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Receptionists and Information Clerks:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| New Jersey |
52,670 |
13.68 |
1.96 |
$ 17.37 |
$ 36,120 |
| South Dakota |
5,760 |
13.67 |
1.96 |
$ 14.64 |
$ 30,460 |
| Arkansas |
12,630 |
10.60 |
1.52 |
$ 13.98 |
$ 29,070 |
| Rhode Island |
4,550 |
9.94 |
1.42 |
$ 17.75 |
$ 36,910 |
| Wisconsin |
26,110 |
9.48 |
1.36 |
$ 16.00 |
$ 33,280 |
Top paying states for Receptionists and Information Clerks:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| District of Columbia |
3,000 |
4.53 |
0.65 |
$ 20.64 |
$ 42,930 |
| Washington |
21,970 |
6.85 |
0.98 |
$ 18.41 |
$ 38,300 |
| New York |
63,980 |
7.38 |
1.06 |
$ 18.22 |
$ 37,890 |
| California |
79,660 |
4.82 |
0.69 |
$ 18.10 |
$ 37,640 |
| Hawaii |
3,540 |
6.45 |
0.92 |
$ 17.97 |
$ 37,380 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Receptionists and Information Clerks:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
82,860 |
9.55 |
1.37 |
$ 18.44 |
$ 38,350 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
30,670 |
7.24 |
1.04 |
$ 16.53 |
$ 34,390 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
30,390 |
5.31 |
0.76 |
$ 17.40 |
$ 36,200 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL |
24,330 |
9.92 |
1.42 |
$ 15.22 |
$ 31,650 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
23,810 |
6.63 |
0.95 |
$ 15.38 |
$ 32,000 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
20,430 |
7.70 |
1.10 |
$ 16.39 |
$ 34,100 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
20,130 |
6.86 |
0.98 |
$ 18.01 |
$ 37,460 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA |
19,910 |
7.69 |
1.10 |
$ 15.63 |
$ 32,510 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
19,520 |
6.74 |
0.97 |
$ 14.92 |
$ 31,030 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ |
16,880 |
7.97 |
1.14 |
$ 16.15 |
$ 33,600 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Receptionists and Information Clerks:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Hot Springs, AR |
620 |
17.19 |
2.46 |
$ 13.76 |
$ 28,620 |
| Rapid City, SD |
1,090 |
16.41 |
2.35 |
$ 14.88 |
$ 30,950 |
| Gadsden, AL |
480 |
15.07 |
2.16 |
$ 11.38 |
$ 23,670 |
| Sioux Falls, SD |
2,300 |
14.77 |
2.12 |
$ 14.87 |
$ 30,920 |
| Rochester, MN |
1,690 |
14.56 |
2.09 |
$ 18.23 |
$ 37,920 |
| Jonesboro, AR |
780 |
13.80 |
1.98 |
$ 13.50 |
$ 28,080 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ |
1,590 |
13.70 |
1.96 |
$ 16.13 |
$ 33,550 |
| Wilmington, NC |
1,700 |
13.20 |
1.89 |
$ 14.51 |
$ 30,180 |
| Asheville, NC |
2,460 |
13.16 |
1.89 |
$ 14.83 |
$ 30,850 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN |
910 |
12.67 |
1.82 |
$ 16.66 |
$ 34,640 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Receptionists and Information Clerks:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA |
3,930 |
3.68 |
0.53 |
$ 21.67 |
$ 45,080 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
9,420 |
4.20 |
0.60 |
$ 21.48 |
$ 44,680 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA |
750 |
5.82 |
0.83 |
$ 19.85 |
$ 41,290 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
11,680 |
6.09 |
0.87 |
$ 19.64 |
$ 40,840 |
| Santa Rosa, CA |
1,090 |
5.70 |
0.82 |
$ 19.63 |
$ 40,820 |
| Napa, CA |
290 |
4.19 |
0.60 |
$ 19.62 |
$ 40,810 |
| Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI |
430 |
6.67 |
0.96 |
$ 19.29 |
$ 40,120 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA |
4,790 |
4.88 |
0.70 |
$ 18.80 |
$ 39,110 |
| Barnstable Town, MA |
790 |
8.11 |
1.16 |
$ 18.75 |
$ 38,990 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT |
3,630 |
9.67 |
1.39 |
$ 18.63 |
$ 38,760 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Receptionists and Information Clerks:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area |
2,170 |
5.78 |
0.83 |
$ 13.67 |
$ 28,440 |
| Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area |
2,070 |
8.48 |
1.22 |
$ 14.17 |
$ 29,470 |
| Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area |
2,030 |
10.64 |
1.52 |
$ 15.67 |
$ 32,590 |
| North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) |
2,020 |
6.42 |
0.92 |
$ 14.06 |
$ 29,230 |
| Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area |
1,910 |
7.95 |
1.14 |
$ 13.67 |
$ 28,420 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Receptionists and Information Clerks:
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Receptionists and Information Clerks:
About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia.
The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall.
The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median.
More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours;
for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration.
A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OEWS estimates and related information:
May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022
United States Department of Labor
