SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 43-4171.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $28,760 | $2,397 | $553 | $13.83 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $33,960 | $2,830 | $653 | $16.33 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $38,010 | $3,168 | $731 | $18.27 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $45,130 | $3,761 | $868 | $21.70 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $49,950 | $4,162 | $961 | $24.01 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Receptionists and Information Clerks is $38,010, which is 25% lower. Among the 54 occupations of the field Office and Administrative Support, it ranks number 51 by median pay. With 910,180 jobs, it makes up about 59 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Receptionists and Information Clerks pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($49,060), Alaska ($44,720) and Washington ($44,710). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($22,890), Guam ($23,290) and Mississippi ($31,160). The most jobs were in California (82,470), Texas (78,330) and New York (65,010). The occupation is most concentrated in South Dakota, where its share of all jobs is 2.1 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 2,000 | $49,060 | $50,450 | $23.59 |
| Alaska | 1,530 | $44,720 | $44,820 | $21.50 |
| Washington | 26,500 | $44,710 | $45,690 | $21.49 |
| California | 82,470 | $44,100 | $46,100 | $21.20 |
| Massachusetts | 18,970 | $43,870 | $43,950 | $21.09 |
| New York | 65,010 | $43,080 | $44,840 | $20.71 |
| Rhode Island | 4,270 | $42,620 | $42,330 | $20.49 |
| Maine | 3,440 | $42,440 | $42,760 | $20.41 |
| Colorado | 11,020 | $42,010 | $42,380 | $20.20 |
| New Jersey | 42,060 | $41,650 | $42,950 | $20.02 |
| Hawaii | 3,510 | $41,600 | $43,430 | $20.00 |
| Wisconsin | 25,580 | $41,150 | $40,940 | $19.78 |
| Oregon | 13,590 | $40,900 | $42,040 | $19.66 |
| Connecticut | 14,980 | $40,630 | $42,960 | $19.53 |
| North Dakota | 1,930 | $39,530 | $40,790 | $19.00 |
| Arizona | 23,220 | $38,730 | $40,100 | $18.62 |
| Vermont | 1,160 | $38,370 | $38,980 | $18.45 |
| South Dakota | 5,760 | $38,280 | $38,420 | $18.40 |
| New Hampshire | 5,320 | $38,160 | $39,210 | $18.34 |
| Maryland | 18,390 | $38,100 | $40,230 | $18.32 |
| Nebraska | 6,750 | $37,860 | $38,330 | $18.20 |
| Minnesota | 11,800 | $37,510 | $38,750 | $18.04 |
| Wyoming | 1,540 | $37,480 | $38,580 | $18.02 |
| Michigan | 25,230 | $37,470 | $38,480 | $18.02 |
| Illinois | 40,370 | $37,400 | $39,520 | $17.98 |
| Montana | 1,280 | $37,360 | $38,020 | $17.96 |
| Iowa | 4,660 | $37,330 | $37,440 | $17.95 |
| Virginia | 23,360 | $37,060 | $38,100 | $17.82 |
| Nevada | 10,650 | $37,050 | $38,500 | $17.81 |
| Utah | 12,020 | $36,960 | $37,320 | $17.77 |
| Florida | 63,280 | $36,810 | $37,720 | $17.70 |
| Idaho | 5,340 | $36,810 | $37,580 | $17.70 |
| Pennsylvania | 37,830 | $36,810 | $36,980 | $17.70 |
| Delaware | 2,880 | $36,310 | $38,160 | $17.46 |
| Indiana | 17,360 | $36,160 | $36,300 | $17.39 |
| Georgia | 26,080 | $36,100 | $36,150 | $17.36 |
| Kansas | 7,290 | $36,050 | $36,110 | $17.33 |
| Ohio | 30,850 | $35,920 | $36,030 | $17.27 |
| Missouri | 18,890 | $35,740 | $37,040 | $17.18 |
| South Carolina | 11,280 | $35,510 | $35,330 | $17.07 |
| North Carolina | 20,080 | $35,440 | $35,450 | $17.04 |
| Texas | 78,330 | $35,210 | $35,720 | $16.93 |
| New Mexico | 5,650 | $35,140 | $35,150 | $16.89 |
| Tennessee | 11,460 | $34,910 | $35,310 | $16.79 |
| Arkansas | 10,870 | $34,840 | $34,850 | $16.75 |
| Virgin Islands | 120 | $34,630 | $35,070 | $16.65 |
| Oklahoma | 9,380 | $34,560 | $34,000 | $16.61 |
| Kentucky | 9,290 | $32,940 | $33,760 | $15.84 |
| Louisiana | 12,820 | $32,750 | $32,800 | $15.75 |
| Alabama | 10,460 | $32,590 | $32,560 | $15.67 |
| West Virginia | 5,470 | $31,920 | $32,960 | $15.34 |
| Mississippi | 6,920 | $31,160 | $32,160 | $14.98 |
| Guam | 210 | $23,290 | $25,160 | $11.20 |
| Puerto Rico | 4,030 | $22,890 | $24,300 | $11.01 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service$39,280 a year
- Couriers and Messengers$39,200 a year
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service$38,630 a year
- Gambling Cage Workers$37,580 a year
- Library Assistants, Clerical$36,910 a year
- Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks$35,070 a year
Common questions
How much do Receptionists and Information Clerks earn in the United States?
The median pay was $38,010 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $28,760 and the highest-paid 10% more than $49,950.
How many people work as Receptionists and Information Clerks?
About 910,180 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.