Receptionist Jobs in Houston, TX
Receptionists in Houston earn a median of $17.00 an hour, and hospital front desks are where much of the steady hiring is, from Houston Methodist Willowbrook on SH 249 to the patient access desks at Baylor St. Luke's in the Texas Medical Center. Here are the current openings, then who is hiring and what it pays.
Current receptionist Openings in Houston, TX
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Receptionist Work in Houston
In Houston the front desk is more and more a hospital desk. Health care is projected to add nearly half of the region's new jobs in 2026, according to the Greater Houston Partnership, and every one of those clinics, imaging centers and hospital units needs someone to greet patients, check them in and answer the phones. The job titles vary. Houston Methodist calls it receptionist, Memorial Hermann and Baylor St. Luke's post much of it as patient access representative, and Texas Children's Pediatrics staffs front offices across more than 50 practices around the metro.
Corporate lobbies are the other market. Uptown and the Galleria, Greenway Plaza, downtown and the Energy Corridor all run front desks for law firms, energy companies and property managers, and staffing firms fill a share of it on both temporary and permanent terms. If you do not drive, the Med Center is the easier commute: the METRORail Red Line runs from downtown through Midtown and the Museum District to the hospitals.
Top Houston Employers Hiring Receptionists
These Houston employers had receptionist and front desk roles on their own careers sites this month:
- Houston Methodist - the eight-hospital system hires receptionists at its hospitals, including a weekday day-shift opening at Houston Methodist Willowbrook in northwest Houston.
- Memorial Hermann - the health system hires patient access representatives, an entry-level front desk role, for its hospitals, clinics and call center.
- Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center - the Med Center hospital, part of CommonSpirit Health, hires patient access representatives and communications operators.
- MD Anderson Cancer Center - the cancer center hires receptionists and patient access specialists in the Med Center and at regional sites such as League City.
- Texas Children's Pediatrics - the pediatric practice network hires office staff for more than 50 locations across Houston and nearby communities.
- Robert Half - the staffing firm fills receptionist and front desk coordinator roles, including temporary work in the Galleria area.
Receptionist Salaries in Houston
- Entry level: about $12 to $15 an hour for a first front desk job at a small office or clinic.
- Experienced: roughly $16 to $19 an hour for hospital receptionists and corporate front desk staff with a year or two of experience.
- Senior and specialized: $20 to $23 an hour or more for front desk coordinators and patient access roles that handle insurance and scheduling.
These are estimates built from federal wage data for the Houston metro and current local postings. Temporary front desk coordinator work in the Galleria area is posted at $18 to $20 an hour, and MD Anderson's patient access specialist roles have been posted at $45,000 to $68,000 a year, well above a standard receptionist. Pay moves with the setting and the work behind the desk: registering patients and verifying insurance pays more than greeting visitors and answering phones.
How to Become a Receptionist in Houston
There is no Texas state license for receptionists. Most employers want a high school diploma or GED and some customer service experience: Houston Methodist asks for one year of clerical or telephone work, preferably in customer service or a call center, and MD Anderson asks for two years of customer service and a pre-employment skills test. If you want to work a medical front desk, Houston City College offers a Business Technology certificate and degree as a Medical Office Specialist at all of its campuses and online, alongside its General Office Administration track. San Jacinto College's Business Office Systems and Support program covers the same office software skills.
What the Job Involves
Receptionists are the first person a visitor or patient meets. The day means greeting people and signing them in, answering and routing a multi-line phone, scheduling and confirming appointments, taking messages, and keeping the lobby and front desk in order. In a clinic or hospital that also means registering patients, scanning insurance cards and IDs, collecting co-pays and entering information into the scheduling system.
Skills Employers Look For
- Friendly, professional customer service
- Multi-line phone handling
- Appointment scheduling software
- Accurate data entry
- Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel basics
- Staying organized during busy periods
- Discretion with patient and client information
Career Path and Advancement
Many Houston receptionists use the front desk as a way into the big health systems, then move into patient access, scheduling or unit clerk work, where the pay is higher. From there the path runs to front desk coordinator, patient access lead and office manager, or across to administrative assistant and eventually executive assistant roles in the Med Center or downtown. Others use the job as a first step toward clinical work, such as medical assistant.
Related Careers in Houston
If front desk work interests you, these Houston roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license or certification to be a receptionist in Houston?
No. Texas does not license receptionists. A short office administration or medical office certificate can help you stand out, especially for hospital and clinic front desks.
How much do receptionists make in Houston?
Federal wage data puts the Houston median at $17.00 an hour, about $35,350 a year, close to the Texas median of $16.93. The top tenth earn about $23 an hour or more.
What hours do Houston receptionists work?
Office receptionists usually work weekday business hours. Hospital front desks can start early and some cover weekends; a current Houston Methodist Willowbrook receptionist opening runs Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
What is a patient access representative?
It is the job title many Houston hospitals use for their front desk. Patient access representatives greet and register patients, schedule appointments and enter patient and insurance information. Memorial Hermann lists it as one of its entry-level roles, and MD Anderson has posted its patient access specialist roles well above its receptionist pay range.
Is there a test to get hired as a receptionist?
Sometimes. MD Anderson requires a pre-employment skills assessment for its receptionist roles, and other employers may check typing or software skills. Practice your typing speed and basic Word and Excel before you apply.
Ready to apply? Browse all Receptionist jobs in Houston, TX on LocalJobPage and apply today.