Receptionists and Information Clerks Salary
Receptionists and Information Clerks in Maine make a median of $42,440 a year, or about $20.41 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.7), that's roughly $43,439 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,281/month, about 43.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maine. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $42K get you in Maine?
About receptionists and information clerks
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What this looks like in Maine
Maine sits well above the national pay line for receptionists and information clerks, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,281/month, which is 44.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.7) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maine
Entry-level receptionists and information clerks (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Receptionists and Information Clerks salary by metro in Maine
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland | $45K | +5% | 1,730 |
| Bangor | $40K | -7% | 360 |
| Lewiston-Auburn | $39K | -7% | 250 |
Compare to other states
Track receptionists and information clerks salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maine numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a receptionists and information clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maine?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 44.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,281/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Maine?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new receptionists and information clerks typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,153/month. At HUD’s $1,281/month FMR, rent would take 59% 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 Maine?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $42K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Maine compare to the national average for receptionists and information clerks?
Maine pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do receptionists and information clerks make in Maine?
The median is $42,440 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,880, and experienced receptionists and information clerks can clear $49,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Maine?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,875/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,281/month, which eats 44.6% 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 Maine?
Maine has a Regional Price Parity of 97.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median receptionists and information clerks salary is worth about $43,439 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.