Meter Readers, Utilities vs Receptionists and Information Clerks: $48K vs $38K Median Pay

Meter Readers, Utilities vs Receptionists and Information Clerks: what changes?

Consider Meter Readers, Utilities if you want to read meter and record consumption of electricity, gas, water, or steam. Consider Receptionists and Information Clerks if you would rather answer inquiries and provide information to the general public, customers, visitors, and other interested parties regarding activities conducted at establishment and location of departments, offices, and…. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Meter Readers, Utilities and Receptionists and Information Clerks. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Meter Readers, Utilities

National median pay (2025): $48,150
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Read electric, gas, water, or steam consumption meters and enter data in route books or hand-held computers.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,400

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 10.5% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Meter Readers, Utilities brief

Receptionists and Information Clerks

National median pay (2025): $38,010
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Operate telephone switchboard to answer, screen, or forward calls, providing information, taking messages, or scheduling appointments.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 105,100

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 1.7% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Receptionists and Information Clerks brief

How the national numbers differ

Receptionists and Information Clerks has the edge on annual openings

Receptionists and Information Clerks is at 105,100 annual openings, compared with 1,400 annual openings for Meter Readers, Utilities.

Meter Readers, Utilities has the edge on median pay

Meter Readers, Utilities is at $48,150, compared with $38,010 for Receptionists and Information Clerks.

Receptionists and Information Clerks has the edge on projected growth

Receptionists and Information Clerks is at -1.7% projected growth, compared with -10.5% projected growth for Meter Readers, Utilities.

29.1/ 100

Meter Readers, Utilities

48.4/ 100

Receptionists and Information Clerks

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Meter Readers, Utilities vs Receptionists and Information Clerks

Dimension	Meter Readers, Utilities	Receptionists and Information Clerks
Median pay (2025)	$48,150	$38,010
Pay percentile	27.3 percentile	8.1 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	-10.5%	-1.7%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	1,400	105,100
2025 employment	19,700	947,500
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 2	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Meter Readers, Utilities brief Read Receptionists and Information Clerks brief

Meter Readers, Utilities vs Receptionists and Information Clerks: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Meter Readers, Utilities

Receptionists and Information Clerks

How the national numbers differ

Receptionists and Information Clerks has the edge on annual openings

Meter Readers, Utilities has the edge on median pay

Receptionists and Information Clerks has the edge on projected growth

Meter Readers, Utilities vs Receptionists and Information Clerks

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