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Front desk agent: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$35,070median pay per year, or $16.86 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $27,120lowest 10% earn less
  2. $29,81025th percentile
  3. $35,070median
  4. $38,10075th percentile
  5. $45,470top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

A front desk agent had a median pay of $35,070 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+1.8%[2]
Openings per year
35,500[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do front desk agents make?

The BLS title for this job is Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks. The median pay was $35,070 a year, or $16.86 an hour[1]. About half of workers earned more than that median, and the other half earned less[1]. The average was $35,550 a year, or $17.09 an hour[7]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980[4].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $27,120 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $45,470[3]. The 25th percentile was $29,810 and the 75th percentile was $38,100[3]. Hourly, the 10th, 25th, 75th and 90th percentiles were $13.04, $14.33, $18.32 and $21.86[8]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[9].

These figures cover wage and salary jobs. They leave out self-employed people and do not include bonuses or benefits costs[10]. BLS counted about 261,420 wage and salary jobs in May 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

Among 50 states and DC with published data, Hawaii had the highest median pay at $59,110, followed by the District of Columbia at $47,060 and Vermont at $44,940[12]. West Virginia had the lowest at $26,830[12].

The states with the most jobs were California (27,810), Texas (23,690), Florida (23,580), New York (10,130) and Georgia (9,490)[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Kahului-Wailuku, HI had the highest median at $60,360, followed by Urban Honolulu, HI at $59,940 and Burlington-South Burlington, VT at $46,500[14]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, at 8,470[15].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Hawaii[12]$59,1102,810
District of Columbia$47,0601,170
Vermont$44,940580
Washington$40,4605,630
Massachusetts$39,4004,530
California$39,36027,810
Nevada$38,9005,040
New York$38,59010,130
New Jersey$38,1105,000
Rhode Island$37,840530
Alaska$37,500820
Maine$37,3801,510
New Hampshire$37,300850
Oregon$37,0204,080
Connecticut$37,0001,490
Colorado$36,7505,520
Minnesota$36,3204,430
Utah$36,2504,120
Arizona$35,8805,540
Maryland$35,8604,020
Delaware$35,730740
Illinois$35,4106,390
Wisconsin$35,3605,100
Montana$35,3302,660
Wyoming$35,050950
Florida$35,03023,580
Missouri$34,5604,400
North Dakota$34,5301,390
Idaho$33,8702,130
Michigan$33,8706,300
Indiana$33,2804,640
Virginia$33,2706,560
Nebraska$31,4901,650
Pennsylvania$31,3307,880
Ohio$30,6306,320
Iowa$30,5902,790
South Dakota$30,5501,760
Tennessee$30,1606,930
South Carolina$30,0205,910
Kentucky$29,9703,890
North Carolina$29,9007,530
Kansas$29,7501,900
Texas$29,63023,690
New Mexico$29,3002,940
Georgia$29,1309,490
Arkansas$28,3002,420
Alabama$28,0503,910
Oklahoma$27,6303,090
Louisiana$27,4204,110
Mississippi$27,3003,050
West Virginia$26,8301,730

How to become a front desk agent

The typical path is short:

In an O*NET survey of 44 workers, 75% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required, 11% said some college courses and 6% said an associate's degree[16].

The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile used here covers a wider group of information clerks, so its details describe that group[17]. For that group, training usually lasts a few weeks and covers clerical procedures and computer applications[18].

What front desk agents do

Front desk agents register guests, assign rooms, take reservations and handle payments at hotels, motels and resorts[19]. Tasks include:

Job titles reported by workers include guest service representative and front desk clerk[21].

Where they work

For the wider group of information clerks, traveler accommodation was the largest employer, at 19%[22][17]. Part-time work is common for hotel clerks[23]. Clerks in lodging places that are open around the clock may work evenings, weekends and holidays[24]. Customer service work in this wider group can be stressful, especially with unhappy customers[25].

Job outlook

Employment is projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 264,600 to 269,500 jobs[2]. Growth for all occupations is projected at 3.5%[26]. So this job is expected to grow more slowly than average.

About 35,500 openings are projected each year[5]. Openings count jobs that come open when people retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 5.2% of workers leave the labor force and 7.9% move to a different occupation[27]. BLS names AI software, self-service kiosks and mobile apps as factors that reduce the need for clerks, with AI helping on routine guest enquiries and kiosks and apps handling check-in and check-out[28].

Is it a good fit?

Median pay of $35,070 is below the all-occupation median of $50,980[1][4]. Entry needs a high school diploma or equivalent and no related experience, with short-term training on the job[6]. Pay varies by place, from $26,830 in West Virginia to $59,110 in Hawaii[12]. Growth is slower than for all occupations, and automation is named as a factor[2][26][28].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[29].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a front desk agent make an hour?
The median was $16.86 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $17.09[1][7].
What education do you need to be a front desk agent?
A high school diploma or equivalent, with no related experience and short-term on-the-job training[6].
Is front desk work in demand?
Jobs are projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 35,500 openings a year[2][26][5].
What is the highest paying state for front desk agents?
Hawaii, with a median of $59,110 a year, followed by the District of Columbia at $47,060[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks in the US was $35,070 per year and $16.86 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks is projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 264,600 to 269,500 jobs (a change of +4,900). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks: 10th percentile $27,120, 25th percentile $29,810, 75th percentile $38,100, 90th percentile $45,470. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 35,500 openings for Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks was $35,550 per year and $17.09 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks: 10th percentile $13.04, 25th percentile $14.33, 75th percentile $18.32, 90th percentile $21.86. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 261,420 people were employed as Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks jobs: California 27,810; Texas 23,690; Florida 23,580; New York 10,130; Georgia 9,490. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks (areas with at least 100 jobs): Kahului-Wailuku, HI $60,360; Urban Honolulu, HI $59,940; Burlington-South Burlington, VT $46,500; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $45,230; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $44,670; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $44,520; Napa, CA $43,950; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $43,490. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 8,470 (median $43,490); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 7,830 (median $39,620); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 6,860 (median $35,500); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 6,150 (median $35,090); Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 5,480 (median $36,250); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 4,620 (median $31,850). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 43-4081.00 survey of workers (44 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 75%, Some College Courses 11%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 6% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Information Clerks" covers Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. O*NET description of Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET task list for Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks. O*NET OnLine
  21. O*NET 43-4081.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Desk Clerk, Front Desk Agent, Front Desk Associate, Front Desk Attendant, Front Desk Clerk, Front Desk Receptionist, Guest Service Representative (GSR), Guest Services Agent (GSA). O*NET OnLine
  22. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of information clerks in 2025: Traveler accommodation 19%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  27. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks: 5.2% of workers leave the labor force each year and 7.9% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  28. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks: Capital/labor substitution - share decreases as artificial intelligence (AI) software is increasingly used to assist guests with routine enquiries, and self-service kiosks and mobile applications allow guests to complete check-ins and check-outs without a clerk present. BLS Employment Projections
  29. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.