Skip to content
Boston Career Explorer

Office and Administrative Support

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.

Also called: Clerk Specialist, Front Desk Receptionist, Greeter, Information Assistant (Info Assistant), Medical Receptionist, Member Services Representative (Member Services Rep)

Median pay in Greater Boston
$43,930
$21.12/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
14,320
Massachusetts 2024–2034
−1.7%
2,800 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
High school diploma or equivalent
plus Short-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$34,870$38,240$43,930$48,100$55,750

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • 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.
  • Receive payment and record receipts for services.
  • Schedule appointments and maintain and update appointment calendars.
  • Transmit information or documents to customers, using computer, mail, or facsimile machine.
  • Hear and resolve complaints from customers or the public.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure80 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 72
  • Language-model AIOE 76
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 91

Observed AI use today: Substantial (Anthropic Economic Index)

Receptionists and information clerks have higher AI exposure, and observed AI use in this job is substantial. AI-enhanced software can help with answering calls, scheduling appointments, and sending information. Massachusetts expects a small decline of 1.7% by 2034. Greeting visitors, helping people in person, and handling unexpected situations still rely on people.

Likely to change

  • Answering and routing phone calls
  • Scheduling appointments and updating calendars

Still relies on people

  • Welcoming and directing visitors in person
  • Helping people who are upset or confused

What federal projections say

“Capital/labor substitution - share decreases as companies use computer software, enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI) technology, to automate data collection, document preparation, and other tasks performed by clerks.”
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, factors affecting this job (U.S.)

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Medical Assistants

    Greeting people and keeping accurate records carry over to medical assisting. It needs a postsecondary award and is expected to grow 9.0% in Massachusetts.

    Pay difference
    +$6,810 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +9.0%
    To get started
    Postsecondary nondegree award

  • Ophthalmic Medical Technicians

    Taking patient information and working with the public carry over to this clinical role. Expected growth is 14.5% in Massachusetts, with a Boston median of $52,670.

    Pay difference
    +$8,740 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +14.5%
    To get started
    Postsecondary nondegree award

  • Community Health Workers

    Helping people find information and services carries over to community health work. It needs a high school diploma, pays $56,920, and is expected to grow 9.5%.

    Pay difference
    +$12,990 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +9.5%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

No college programs near Boston map to this job. Many people enter through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.

Talk to a career coach at the Office of Workforce Development about apprenticeships and City partner programs.

Related occupations

Talk to a career coach

A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.

Talk to a career coach