Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 1,016,200 people employed as receptionists and information clerks in the United States. The median annual salary is $31,100. Entry level employees earn approximately $22,030 per year and senior employees earn approximately $45,150 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Enroll individuals to participate in programs and notify them of their acceptance.
• Conduct tours or deliver talks describing features of public facilities, such as a historic site or national park.
• Perform duties, such as taking care of plants or straightening magazines to maintain lobby or reception area.
• Schedule space or equipment for special programs and prepare lists of participants.
• Collect, sort, distribute, or prepare mail, messages, or courier deliveries.
• Provide information about establishment, such as location of departments or offices, employees within the organization, or services provided.
• Calculate and quote rates for tours, stocks, insurance policies, or other products or services.
• Process and prepare memos, correspondence, travel vouchers, or other documents.
• Keep a current record of staff members' whereabouts and availability.
• Take orders for merchandise or materials and send them to the proper departments to be filled.
• Operate telephone switchboard to answer, screen, or forward calls, providing information, taking messages, or scheduling appointments.
• Greet persons entering establishment, determine nature and purpose of visit, and direct or escort them to specific destinations.
• Schedule appointments and maintain and update appointment calendars.
• Hear and resolve complaints from customers or the public.
• File and maintain records.
• Receive payment and record receipts for services.
• Perform administrative support tasks, such as proofreading, transcribing handwritten information, or operating calculators or computers to work with pay records, invoices, balance sheets, or other documents.
• Transmit information or documents to customers, using computer, mail, or facsimile machine.
• Analyze data to determine answers to questions from customers or members of the public.

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