First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers
Also called: Housekeeping Supervisors
Directly supervise and coordinate work activities of cleaning personnel in hotels, hospitals, offices, and other establishments.
Also called: Building Cleaning Supervisor, Building Services Supervisor, Building Superintendent, Building Supervisor, Buildings and Grounds Supervisor, Butler
Median pay
$49,100
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$35,520 – $76,430
People employed
178,760
Holland code
ECR
Enterprising · Conventional · Realistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 2.Are you comfortable following clear instructions?
- 3.Do you want to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
- 4.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
- Long hours on your feet
First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers salary in every state →
What first-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers do
- 01Supervise in-house services, such as laundries, maintenance and repair, dry cleaning, or valet services.
- 02Select the most suitable cleaning materials for different types of linens, furniture, flooring, and surfaces.
- 03Advise managers, desk clerks, or admitting personnel of rooms ready for occupancy.
- 04Inspect work performed to ensure that it meets specifications and established standards.
- 05Perform or assist with cleaning duties as necessary.
- 06Plan and prepare employee work schedules.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Learning Strategies
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Education and Training
- Public Safety and Security
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Leadership Orientation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a high school diploma (O*NET Job Zone 2).
- Related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- On-the-job training: over 3 months, up to and including 6 months.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from first-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services85% · −1%
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers84% · −10%
- First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers81% · −1%
- First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers80% · +14%
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers79% · +42%
Change into first-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers87% · $44,080
- First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services85% · $48,560
- First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers85% · $55,940
- First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers83% · $48,590
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers83% · $48,520
Majors that lead here
- Building/Property Maintenance
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.