Receptionist Jobs in New York, NY
Receptionists in New York City earned a median of about $21.48 an hour in 2025, and front desk roles at Memorial Sloan Kettering and city agencies post well above that. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring, what it pays, and how to land the job.
Current receptionist Openings in New York, NY
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Receptionist Work in New York
The biggest source of front desk jobs in New York is health care. The medical campuses on the Upper East Side and along First Avenue in Kips Bay run outpatient practices that need people to check patients in, verify insurance and keep the schedule moving. Weill Cornell Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering and NYU's dental clinics all hire for these roles, usually under titles like patient coordinator or patient service representative rather than receptionist.
Outside health care, city agencies in the Financial District hire civil service receptionists, and gyms and co-working spaces from Brookfield Place to Midtown staff member-facing front desks. Staten Island and the other outer boroughs add community medical offices, where postings often ask for bilingual skills.
Top New York Employers Hiring Receptionists
These employers have posted receptionist or front desk openings on their own career sites in recent weeks:
- Memorial Sloan Kettering - the cancer center hires office coordinators who are the first point of contact for patients at its Manhattan locations, at $24.05 to $36.21 an hour.
- Weill Cornell Medicine - the Upper East Side practice group hires senior patient coordinators to check patients in and out, at $27.80 to $30.27 an hour.
- NYU College of Dentistry - the dental school's clinics hire patient service representatives and a lead to greet and route patients and manage appointments.
- NYC Office of Labor Relations - the city agency at 22 Cortlandt Street is hiring a receptionist under the Community Associate title at $51,227 to $74,134.
- Northwell Health - its FlexStaff pool hires temporary medical receptionists on Staten Island at $20 an hour.
- Equinox - the fitness club hires front desk associates at Brookfield Place in Lower Manhattan at $17 an hour.
Receptionist Salaries in New York
- Entry level: about $17 to $19 an hour at gyms, retail offices and small practices.
- Experienced: roughly $19 to $24 an hour at medical offices and corporate front desks.
- Senior or specialized: $24 to $36 an hour at hospital systems, and $51,000 to $74,000 a year in city agency receptionist titles.
These are estimates based on BLS May 2025 wage data for the New York metro and ranges posted by local employers. Pay moves with the setting, with hospital practices and public agencies paying the most, and with bilingual skills, insurance and scheduling experience, and seniority. The NYC minimum wage is $17 an hour in 2026, which sets the floor for entry roles.
How to Become a Receptionist in New York
New York does not license receptionists, including medical front desk staff. Most employers want a high school diploma or equivalent, customer service experience, and comfort with phones and scheduling software. For medical offices, a Certified Medical Administrative Assistant credential from the National Healthcareer Association helps; LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City and Queensborough Community College in Bayside both offer CMAA training through Continuing Education, and Queensborough also runs a for-credit Medical Office Assistant certificate. City receptionist jobs use civil service titles such as Community Associate.
What the Job Involves
Receptionists greet visitors and patients, answer and route calls, schedule appointments, check people in and out, collect co-pays or fees, handle mail and deliveries, and keep the front area organized. In a medical office the job also includes registering new patients, scanning ID and insurance cards, and verifying coverage before a visit.
Skills Employers Look For
- Friendly, professional phone and in-person manner
- Scheduling and patient registration systems
- Insurance verification for medical offices
- Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel
- Calm under pressure at a busy desk
- Bilingual skills, especially Spanish or Chinese
Career Path and Advancement
A front desk job is a common first step into office work in New York. Receptionists often move up to lead front desk or senior patient coordinator, then to administrative assistant, practice coordinator and office or practice manager. In hospital systems, front desk staff can move into scheduling, patient access or billing roles, and city receptionists can test into higher clerical titles.
Related Careers in New York
If front desk work interests you, these related New York roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a receptionist in New York?
No. New York State does not license receptionists or medical front desk staff. Optional certifications such as the CMAA can help you get hired at a medical office, but they are not required by law.
How much do receptionists make in New York City?
The metro median was about $21.48 an hour in BLS May 2025 data. Entry roles start near the $17 city minimum wage, while hospital front desk roles post up to about $36 an hour.
Do medical receptionists earn more in New York?
Usually, yes. Hospital practices such as Memorial Sloan Kettering and Weill Cornell Medicine post $24 to $36 an hour for patient-facing front desk roles, above the typical corporate or gym front desk.
Is being bilingual important for receptionist jobs in New York?
It helps a great deal. Many medical offices in the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn serve patients who speak Spanish, Chinese and many other languages, and postings often list bilingual skills as preferred.
What hours do receptionists work in New York?
Office and agency roles usually run weekdays during business hours. Medical practices may open early or run 12-hour days, and gyms and co-working spaces often need evening and weekend coverage.
Ready to apply? Browse all Receptionist jobs in New York, NY on LocalJobPage and apply today.