How much does a hotel desk clerk make?
a year · about $17 an hour
A typical hotel desk clerk in the United States makes $35,070 a year, about $17 an hour, below a typical US worker ($50,980) (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They greet guests, check them in, hand out room keys, and answer questions. They also update reservations and bills, take payments, and contact housekeeping or maintenance about room problems.
Did you know? In Chicago, hotel desk clerks must pass a fire-safety exam. If there is a fire, they must call 911 and help warn guests.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $27,120 and $45,470How do you become one?
Most finish high school or a GED and apply for an entry-level job; hiring age can depend on local rules. Hotels teach the work on the job; in Chicago, desk clerks must be 18 or older and pass a fire-safety test.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like keeping things organized and helping and teaching
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, pay can differ with experience, location, and the employer or type of property. Some employers offer extra pay for night, weekend, or holiday shifts, and useful customer-service or computer skills can help.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Hawaii ($59,110), lowest in West Virginia ($26,830).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
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Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $27,120 | $35,070 | $45,470 | about 261,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $59,110 | about 3,000 |
| District of Columbia | $47,060 | about 1,000 |
| Vermont | $44,940 | about 580 |
| Washington | $40,460 | about 6,000 |
| Massachusetts | $39,400 | about 5,000 |
Official definition: Accommodate hotel, motel, and resort patrons by registering and assigning rooms to guests, issuing room keys or cards, transmitting and receiving messages, keeping records of occupied rooms and guests’ accounts, making and confirming reservations, and presenting statements to and collecting payments from departing guests.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ors/factsheet/hotel-motel-and-resort-desk-clerks.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/43-4081.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/2022/may/oes434081.htm
- www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cfd/provdrs/prevent/svcs/HOTELDESKCLERKCERTIFICATI
- seasonaljobs.dol.gov/jobs/H-400-26198-106162
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY