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Receptionist salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a receptionist is $63,900 per annum, before tax, up $13,300 since 2018.
The setting moves reception pay more than experience does: health practices, hotels and large firms often pay above the award, and evening or weekend shifts in hotels and clinics carry penalty rates. Award coverage follows the industry, so a front desk in a law firm and one in a hotel sit under different agreements. Part-time and casual hours are common, which means two jobs with the same title can pay quite differently across a year.
Roles that pay more than receptionist
The largest typical pay rise is $31,400 a year, moving into Personal Assistant.
- Personal Assistant+$31,400/yr
- Executive Assistant+$31,400/yr
- Office Manager+$26,100/yr
How to negotiate a higher receptionist salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time receptionist salary is $63,900; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Personal Assistant pays a typical $31,400 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Receptionist salary questions
How much do receptionists earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a receptionist is $63,900 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is receptionist pay rising or falling?
The median receptionist salary is up $13,300 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than receptionist?
Personal Assistant pays a typical $31,400 a year more and draws on similar skills to receptionist.