Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks
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.
Also called: Desk Clerk, Front Desk Agent, Front Desk Associate, Front Desk Attendant, Front Desk Auditor, Front Desk Clerk
Median pay
$35,070
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$27,120 – $45,470
People employed
261,420
Holland code
CSE
Conventional · Social · Enterprising
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.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 2.Do you want to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
- 3.Do you prefer a steady pace without constant deadlines?
- 4.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 5.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 6.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 7.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 8.Do you prefer doing your own work rather than directing others?
The hard parts
- Dealing with conflict is part of the job
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks salary in every state →
What hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks do
- 01Make and confirm reservations.
- 02Greet, register, and assign rooms to guests of hotels or motels.
- 03Verify customers' credit, and establish how the customer will pay for the accommodation.
- 04Post charges, such as those for rooms, food, liquor, or telephone calls, to ledgers, manually or by using computers.
- 05Issue room keys and escort instructions to bellhops.
- 06Advise housekeeping staff when rooms have been vacated and are ready for cleaning.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Administrative
- Computers and Electronics
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Cooperation
- Social 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: none.
- On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
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 hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Cashiers89% · −6%
- Counter and Rental Clerks88% · +18%
- Concierges88% · +11%
- Office Clerks, General85% · +28%
- Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants84% · +4%
Change into hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers90% · $32,910
- Concierges88% · $38,950
- Cashiers86% · $32,880
- Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners84% · $34,980
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop84% · $31,200