How much does a motel desk clerk make?

The average motel desk clerk salary in the United States is $28,500. Motel desk clerk salaries typically range between $21,000 and $38,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for motel desk clerks is $13.7 per hour. Motel desk clerk salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Motel desk clerks earn the highest average salary in New York.

Motel desk clerk salary

Q: What state pays Motel Desk Clerks the most?

New York pays Motel Desk Clerks the most in the United States, with an average salary of $40,181 per year, or $19.32 per hour.

Q: How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a motel desk clerk?

You know if you are being paid fairly as a motel desk clerk if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in California you should be paid close to $34,905 per year.

Average motel desk clerk salary

$13.7

$28,500 yearly

Entry-level motel desk clerk salary

$21,000 yearly salary

Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding Motel Desk Clerk Salaries

A Motel Desk Clerk typically earns around $28,500 annually, translating to approximately $14 per hour. This salary can vary significantly based on factors like location, experience, and the specific motel or hotel chain. For example, metropolitan areas often provide higher wages due to the cost of living and demand for hospitality services.

Factors Influencing Salary

Experience Level: Entry-level clerks may earn less, but those with several years in the industry often see salary increases.
Location: States like California and New York feature some of the highest salary averages for this position, driven by higher living costs.
Job Performance: Exceptional service can lead to promotions and higher pay.

In addition to base salaries, motel desk clerks may receive benefits such as health insurance, paid time off, and bonuses, enhancing overall compensation. Understanding these factors can help prospective employees make informed decisions about their career paths and salary expectations.

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Where can a Motel Desk Clerk earn more?

Compare salary by location

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Columbus, OH$32,887

Bar Harbor, ME$29,753

Motel desk clerk salaries by experience level

Average motel desk clerk salary by state

The average motel desk clerk salary in New York, California, and Rhode Island are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average motel desk clerk salary states are Georgia, Louisiana, and Alabama.

State view
County view

Average salary:

Highest paying states for motel desk clerks

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	New York	$40,181	$19.32
2	California	$34,905	$16.78
3	Washington	$33,199	$15.96
4	Connecticut	$30,595	$14.71
5	Rhode Island	$33,987	$16.34
6	Colorado	$30,193	$14.52
7	Massachusetts	$32,741	$15.74
8	Nevada	$33,418	$16.07
9	Delaware	$30,595	$14.71
10	Maryland	$32,276	$15.52
11	Vermont	$30,706	$14.76
12	Utah	$27,288	$13.12
13	Minnesota	$29,202	$14.04
14	Florida	$27,537	$13.24
15	Tennessee	$26,113	$12.55
16	South Carolina	$29,121	$14.00
17	North Dakota	$30,117	$14.48
18	Maine	$29,813	$14.33
19	New Hampshire	$29,473	$14.17
20	Arizona	$29,973	$14.41
21	Indiana	$25,682	$12.35
22	Oregon	$30,545	$14.69
23	Pennsylvania	$26,634	$12.80
24	District of Columbia	$31,693	$15.24
25	Wisconsin	$25,908	$12.46
26	Michigan	$25,110	$12.07
27	Texas	$26,084	$12.54
28	Alaska	$26,429	$12.71
29	Hawaii	$28,258	$13.59
30	Wyoming	$25,517	$12.27
31	Nebraska	$25,253	$12.14
32	New Mexico	$25,847	$12.43
33	Idaho	$25,066	$12.05
34	Illinois	$26,598	$12.79
35	New Jersey	$29,252	$14.06
36	Montana	$26,792	$12.88
37	Missouri	$24,659	$11.86
38	Ohio	$23,464	$11.28
39	Kentucky	$23,468	$11.28
40	Kansas	$21,645	$10.41
41	Arkansas	$23,907	$11.49
42	South Dakota	$23,268	$11.19
43	West Virginia	$23,455	$11.28
44	Iowa	$23,824	$11.45
45	Georgia	$23,015	$11.06
46	North Carolina	$23,468	$11.28
47	Virginia	$23,155	$11.13
48	Louisiana	$22,932	$11.03
49	Oklahoma	$20,500	$9.86
50	Mississippi	$21,535	$10.35
51	Alabama	$22,657	$10.89

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Highest paying cities for motel desk clerks

The highest-paying cities for motel desk clerks are West Yarmouth, MA, Ogunquit, ME, and Bismarck, ND.

Rank	City	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	West Yarmouth, MA	$32,887	$15.81
2	Ogunquit, ME	$30,001	$14.42
3	Bismarck, ND	$29,790	$14.32
4	Bar Harbor, ME	$29,753	$14.30

Motel desk clerk salary details

A motel desk clerk's salary ranges from $21,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $38,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average motel desk clerk salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a motel desk clerk's salary?

Percentile	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate
90th Percentile	$38,000	$3,167	$18
75th Percentile	$33,000	$2,750	$16
Average	$28,500	$2,375	$14
25th Percentile	$24,000	$2,000	$12
10th Percentile	$21,000	$1,750	$10

Highest paying motel desk clerk jobs

The highest paying types of motel desk clerks are guest lecturer, service desk analyst, and front office agent.

Job title	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
Night Auditor	$31,498	$2,625	$15.14	29,341
Guest Services Agent	$29,063	$2,422	$13.97	94,858
Front Office Agent	$34,773	$2,898	$16.72	106,130
Guest Relations Representative	$28,790	$2,399	$13.84	35,239
Guest Lecturer	$67,058	$5,588	$32.24	24,129
Night Auditor/Front Desk	$30,799	$2,567	$14.81	75,445

Top companies hiring motel desk clerks now:

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$29,000$28,800$28,600$28,400$28,200$28,000

MaleFemale

Motel desk clerk salary trends

The average motel desk clerk salary has risen by $5,993 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average motel desk clerk earned $22,507 annually, but today, they earn $28,500 a year. That works out to a 15% change in pay for motel desk clerks over the last decade.

Compare motel desk clerk salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average motel desk clerk salary over time

Compare motel desk clerk salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Motel desk clerk salary by year

Year	Avg. salary	Hourly rate	% Change
2025	$28,500	$13.70	+4.0%
2024	$27,400	$13.15	+3.1%
2023	$26,500	$12.74	+3.6%
2022	$25,500	$12.28	+3.4%
2021	$24,700	$11.86	+4.7%

Recently added motel desk clerk salaries

Company	Job	Location	Date added	Salary
Business Degree Central	Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks	Columbia, MO	02/19/2025	$20,690
White Birches Hospitality	Motel Desk Clerk	Hancock, ME	01/02/2025	$38,025
A Pines LLC	Motel Desk Clerk	Bar Harbor, ME	01/02/2025	$38,025
A Pines LLC	Motel Desk Clerk	Bar Harbor, ME	01/01/2025	$38,025
Studio East Motel, Inc.	Motel Desk Clerks	Ogunquit, ME	01/01/2025	$37,086
Aspen Inc. (Attend)	Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks	West Yellowstone, MT	01/01/2025	$32,244
Course Advisor Inc.	Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks	Columbia, MO	12/10/2024	$20,690
Trade College	Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks	Columbia, MO	10/02/2024	$20,690
Business Degree Central	Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks	Columbia, MO	09/26/2024	$20,690
Trade College	Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks	Columbia, MO	09/26/2024	$20,690

Motel desk clerk salary FAQs

What state pays Motel Desk Clerks the most?

How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a motel desk clerk?

Have more questions? See all answers to common office and administrative questions.

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Updated December 15, 2025

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