Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks
SOC code 43-4081 · O*NET-SOC 43-4081.00 · Little to some preparation needed · Office and administration
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$35,070
a year
Hourly
$16.86
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$35,550
$17.09 per hour
Middle 50%
$29,810 – $38,100
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$27,120 – $45,470
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
261,420
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $27,120
- $13.04/hr
- 25th percentile
- $29,810
- $14.33/hr
- Median percentile
- $35,070
- $16.86/hr
- 75th percentile
- $38,100
- $18.32/hr
- 90th percentile
- $45,470
- $21.86/hr
What do hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks do?
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.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Make and confirm reservations.
- Greet, register, and assign rooms to guests of hotels or motels.
- Verify customers' credit, and establish how the customer will pay for the accommodation.
- Post charges, such as those for rooms, food, liquor, or telephone calls, to ledgers, manually or by using computers.
- Issue room keys and escort instructions to bellhops.
- Advise housekeeping staff when rooms have been vacated and are ready for cleaning.
- Transmit and receive messages, using telephones or telephone switchboards.
- Record guest comments or complaints, referring customers to managers as necessary.
How to qualify for this work
Most people in this role hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged) — 75% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 2 — Little to some preparation needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)75%
- Some College Courses11%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree6%
- Bachelor's Degree5%
Common questions
How much does a hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks earn?
The national median is $35,070 a year. The full range runs from $27,120 at the 10th percentile to $45,470 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks without a degree?
Yes — this occupation sits in preparation zone 2, meaning the typical entry route is usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. A four-year degree is not the standard requirement, though licensing or certification may still apply.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Speaking3.8/5
- Active Listening3.4/5
- Reading Comprehension3.0/5
- Monitoring3.0/5
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service4.3/5
- English Language4.2/5
- Public Safety and Security3.7/5
- Administrative3.6/5
- Computers and Electronics3.4/5
- Administration and Management3.2/5
- Mathematics3.0/5
- Sales and Marketing2.9/5
Transferable strengths: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management.