Receptionists and Information Clerks Salary
Receptionists and Information Clerks in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD make a median of $37,600 a year, or about $18.08 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.49), that's roughly $35,984 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,857/month, about 71.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baltimore-Columbia-Towson’s Regional Price Parity (104.49). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About receptionists and information clerks
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What this looks like in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson
Receptionists and information clerks pay in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson tracks closely to the national median, $38K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,857/month, which is 72.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 104.49) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for receptionists and information clerks in metros near Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg | $36K | $38K |
| Lexington Park | $38K | $38K |
| Salisbury | $36K | $38K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $38K | $37K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
Entry-level receptionists and information clerks (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Receptionists and Information Clerks pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Receptionists and Information Clerks salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $49K | +29% | 2,000 |
| Alaska | $45K | +18% | 1,530 |
| Washington | $45K | +18% | 26,500 |
| California | $44K | +16% | 82,470 |
| Massachusetts | $44K | +15% | 18,970 |
| New York | $43K | +13% | 65,010 |
| Rhode Island | $43K | +12% | 4,270 |
| Maine | $42K | +12% | 3,440 |
| Colorado | $42K | +11% | 11,020 |
| New Jersey | $42K | +10% | 42,060 |
| Hawaii | $42K | +9% | 3,510 |
| Wisconsin | $41K | +8% | 25,580 |
| Oregon | $41K | +8% | 13,590 |
| Connecticut | $41K | +7% | 14,980 |
| North Dakota | $40K | +4% | 1,930 |
| Arizona | $39K | +2% | 23,220 |
| Vermont | $38K | +1% | 1,160 |
| South Dakota | $38K | +1% | 5,760 |
| New Hampshire | $38K | +0% | 5,320 |
| Maryland | $38K | +0% | 18,390 |
| Nebraska | $38K | -0% | 6,750 |
| Minnesota | $38K | -1% | 11,800 |
| Wyoming | $37K | -1% | 1,540 |
| Michigan | $37K | -1% | 25,230 |
| Illinois | $37K | -2% | 40,370 |
| Montana | $37K | -2% | 1,280 |
| Iowa | $37K | -2% | 4,660 |
| Virginia | $37K | -2% | 23,360 |
| Nevada | $37K | -3% | 10,650 |
| Utah | $37K | -3% | 12,020 |
| Idaho | $37K | -3% | 5,340 |
| Florida | $37K | -3% | 63,280 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | -3% | 37,830 |
| Delaware | $36K | -4% | 2,880 |
| Indiana | $36K | -5% | 17,360 |
| Georgia | $36K | -5% | 26,080 |
| Kansas | $36K | -5% | 7,290 |
| Ohio | $36K | -5% | 30,850 |
| Missouri | $36K | -6% | 18,890 |
| South Carolina | $36K | -7% | 11,280 |
| North Carolina | $35K | -7% | 20,080 |
| Texas | $35K | -7% | 78,330 |
| New Mexico | $35K | -8% | 5,650 |
| Tennessee | $35K | -8% | 11,460 |
| Arkansas | $35K | -8% | 10,870 |
| Oklahoma | $35K | -9% | 9,380 |
| Kentucky | $33K | -13% | 9,290 |
| Louisiana | $33K | -14% | 12,820 |
| Alabama | $33K | -14% | 10,460 |
| West Virginia | $32K | -16% | 5,470 |
| Mississippi | $31K | -18% | 6,920 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track receptionists and information clerks salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a receptionists and information clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 72.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,857/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for receptionists and information clerks in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new receptionists and information clerks typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,888/month. At HUD’s $1,857/month FMR, rent would take 98% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is receptionists and information clerk a high-paying job in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $38K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Baltimore-Columbia-Towson compare to the national average for receptionists and information clerks?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — below the national median.
How much do receptionists and information clerks make in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?
The median is $37,600 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,460, and experienced receptionists and information clerks can clear $48,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,553/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,857/month, which eats 72.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a receptionists and information clerks salary go in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson has a Regional Price Parity of 104.49 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median receptionists and information clerks salary is worth about $35,984 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do receptionists and information clerks get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.