Receptionists and Information Clerks Salary
Receptionists and Information Clerks in Tennessee make a median of $34,910 a year, or about $16.79 an hour. The range runs from $25K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $38,884 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 48.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $35K get you in Tennessee?
About receptionists and information clerks
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Receptionists and information clerks pay in Tennessee tracks closely to the national median, $35K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,215/month, which is 48.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level receptionists and information clerks (10th percentile) start around $25K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Receptionists and Information Clerks salary by metro in Tennessee
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $37K | +5% | 4,040 |
| Knoxville | $36K | +2% | 1,620 |
| Chattanooga | $35K | +0% | 1,090 |
| Memphis | $35K | -1% | 2,100 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $34K | -3% | 470 |
| Jackson | $34K | -3% | 270 |
| Cleveland | $33K | -6% | 160 |
| Morristown | $31K | -11% | 150 |
| Johnson City | $31K | -11% | 300 |
| Clarksville | $31K | -11% | 450 |
Compare to other states
Track receptionists and information clerks salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a receptionists and information clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 48.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/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 Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new receptionists and information clerks typically earn — is $25K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,524/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 80% 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 Tennessee?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $35K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for receptionists and information clerks?
Tennessee pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do receptionists and information clerks make in Tennessee?
The median is $34,910 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $25,400, and experienced receptionists and information clerks can clear $45,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,507/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 48.5% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $38,884 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.