If you’re starting your career in accounting, it’s natural to focus on salary.

Most people search for “how much do junior staff accountants make” because they want a number they can plan around—rent, loans, maybe even a car payment. But focusing only on pay misses the bigger picture.

What really matters is how the role sets you up for growth, and how quickly you can move beyond entry-level status.

Junior staff accountant jobs are everywhere right now—corporate offices, nonprofit organizations, tech companies, public accounting firms—and they’re all hiring.

But not all junior roles offer the same responsibilities, learning curve, or long-term opportunity.

Understanding what you’re really walking into can help you decide where to start and how to get where you want to go faster.

What Managers Actually Look For in Entry-Level Accountants

Ask any hiring manager or senior accountant and they’ll tell you: not all juniors are the same. Pay can vary even within the same department, because the expectations aren’t just about degrees or resumes.

They’re about how much you can do without needing to be asked twice.

Here’s what actually sets one junior staff accountant apart from another:

1. Accuracy Without Oversight Managers want someone who doesn’t need to be double-checked constantly. If you consistently produce clean, error-free reports, that’s already increasing your value in the team, even if your job title hasn’t changed.
2. Willingness to Learn Systems Quickly Most companies use ERPs like SAP, NetSuite, or QuickBooks. If you can learn new systems fast and apply what you know from Excel or school, it saves everyone time. That competence gets noticed—and rewarded.
3. Clear Communication Junior staff often interact with vendors, internal teams, or auditors. Being able to explain discrepancies, ask the right questions, and summarize issues clearly helps build trust and makes you a go-to person for higher-responsibility tasks.
4. Self-Management It’s not just about being on time; it’s about managing your own deadlines, updating your supervisor before they ask, and staying ahead of recurring close schedules. If you’re someone who doesn’t need reminders, you’re already outperforming expectations.

These are the factors that influence how much junior staff accountants make in the long run.

Raises, project assignments, and even title changes often start with who stands out quietly, but clearly, on the job.

What Your Day-to-Day Tasks Say About Your Pay

For most junior staff accountants, the day-to-day tasks are basic but essential. You’re helping to keep the financial side of the business organized, accurate, and ready for reporting.

You’ll often be responsible for:

• Handling accounts payable and receivable entries
• Processing journal entries
• Assisting with monthly bank reconciliations
• Supporting month-end and year-end close tasks
• Cleaning up general ledger accounts
• Assisting in audit prep or financial reporting

The better you are at keeping things clean and consistent, the more likely you’ll take on higher-responsibility tasks sooner, like budgeting support or project-based analysis.

And that’s where your value starts to show. Your pay might not jump right away, but your exposure to new tasks positions you for promotion or a better offer down the line

What Adds Real Value at This Level

Even as a junior, your pay can reflect more than just your degree. Employers notice—and often reward—those who bring additional skills or experience to the table. A few things that can set you apart:

Strong Excel Skills

If you’re comfortable with pivot tables, VLOOKUP, SUMIFS, and cleaning large datasets, your speed and accuracy will save time for the rest of the team. That often translates into better reviews and faster promotion opportunities.

Internship Experience

Having even one internship or part-time accounting role on your resume shows that you understand the workflow. You’ll need less onboarding and can hit the ground running, which hiring managers appreciate.

Certifications (or Being on a CPA Track)

If you’re studying for the CPA, enrolled in prep, or already passed a section or two, that shows initiative.

Even companies that don’t require a CPA often value the discipline and commitment it takes to pursue one.

Employers don’t always raise salaries right away for these extras—but they do notice.

And when it’s time for performance reviews, those who’ve added value early tend to move up the list for raises or new responsibilities.

How Your Industry Affects Your Growth Path

The industry you choose will not just shape your workload—it will influence how much room you have to grow. Some sectors push junior accountants to develop quickly, while others move more slowly.

Understanding the environment you’re entering can help you plan your next step.

Public accounting firms often offer fast-paced environments where you’ll juggle multiple clients and learn a lot in a short time.

You may start at the lower end of the pay range, but you’ll gain experience across industries, and promotions are usually tied to CPA exam progress and billable hours.

That structure can help you move into mid-level roles faster, even if the hours are intense.

Private corporations in sectors like tech, retail, or manufacturing generally offer more predictable hours and stable pay. Your growth depends more on your performance and less on certifications.

In these companies, junior staff may have the chance to move into financial analyst or senior accountant roles within 12–18 months, especially if the team is small or growing.

Nonprofit organizations and academic institutions tend to offer lower starting salaries, but you may benefit from a more flexible environment.

These roles often include broad responsibilities—like budgeting, grants management, and compliance—but promotion cycles can be slow and less defined.

Real estate and construction companies sometimes offer higher starting pay, especially if you’re helping manage large-scale projects or multiple business entities.

However, the roles are often narrow and process-driven, with little room to step outside your assigned tasks unless you actively ask for it.

Regardless of the sector, how much junior staff accountants make is tied closely to how that company treats junior-level talent.

Some keep juniors in the same spot for years, using them as low-cost support. Others see the position as a launchpad and build in mentorship and review cycles to help you move up.

How to Move Beyond Junior Level Faster

You don’t have to stay in a junior role for long if you’re intentional about how you work and what you learn. Here’s how to start moving forward:

Explore other roles if you’re stuck If you’ve been doing the same tasks for over a year without feedback, training, or signs of growth, it might be time to look elsewhere.

Ask for exposure, not just tasks If you see a senior staff member working on something new, ask to sit in—even just to observe. It helps you learn and shows initiative.

Track your wins Keep a list of things you improved or streamlined, may it be faster reconciliations or building a better Excel template. These are things you can use during review time.

Talk about growth early Around your six-month mark, check in with your manager about expectations for moving to the next level. Make it clear you’re ready to take on more.

Don’t Let the Job Title Define Your Value

So, how much do junior staff accountants make?

That number may vary, but what you bring to the role, how quickly you develop, and how your company supports that growth will matter more.

If you’re looking to make sure your entry-level job actually leads somewhere, TBest Services works with companies across New York and Nevada that are hiring for growth-ready junior accounting roles.

You will be connected to places where the job isn’t just about filling a seat—but about helping you move forward.

For a job that touches nearly every guest in every hotel, it’s surprising how little attention room attendants get.

Housekeeping-room attendants are behind the scenes, but they handle the front lines of cleanliness.

They flip rooms quickly, follow strict sanitation protocols, and work long shifts without a break in sight. Their work is physical, fast-paced, and often invisible to hotel guests.

That’s why a common question—”how much do housekeeping room attendants make”—deserves more than a simple wage figure.

It’s about what actually ends up in your paycheck, how hard you’re working for that money, and what hotels don’t always mention during hiring.

Here’s a real-world look at what this job pays in 2025, and what to expect if you’re thinking about taking it.

What Most People Get Wrong

Let’s start with the basics. The national average hourly wage for hotel housekeeping-room attendants is $15.75 as of the latest update in 2024.

In some cities, especially high-demand tourist areas, wages can climb higher. Indeed.com currently lists average hourly rates between $14 and $18 per hour, depending on the employer and location.

That means annual earnings for full-time attendants typically fall between $29,000 and $38,000. But this varies based on a few key factors. Unionized hotels tend to offer higher pay and more consistent raises.

Larger or luxury hotels in tourist-heavy areas often start workers closer to $17 or $18 per hour. Some even offer incentive bonuses for speed, cleanliness scores, or guest satisfaction.

Experience matters, too. Returning seasonal staff or workers with previous hotel experience often get a bump of $1 to $2 per hour.

So, when people ask how much a housekeeping room attendant makes, it’s not always a flat rate—there are layers behind the paycheck.

You Work More Than You’re Paid For

While the hourly rate might seem fair at first glance, it doesn’t always reflect how much work is packed into a shift.

Room attendants are often expected to clean 12 to 18 rooms per day, depending on the hotel’s occupancy.

That leaves roughly 20 to 30 minutes per room, often less during peak hours when early check-ins and late check-outs overlap.

Here’s what the job often includes (without extra pay):

• Room resets under time pressure: Speed matters, but accuracy can’t slip.
• Heavy lifting and bending: Making beds, carrying carts, and scrubbing surfaces takes a physical toll.
• Minimal breaks: Some hotels have tight scheduling windows that push staff to work straight through.
• Extra assignments: Hallway vacuuming, supply restocking, and laundry support can be added to your list without notice.

Unlike tipped roles, housekeeping-room attendants rarely receive extra compensation from guests. Some people leave tips, but it’s inconsistent and not something you can count on.

And most hotels don’t supplement those efforts with regular bonuses.

That’s why the conversation around how much housekeeping room attendants make must include not just the hourly rate, but how much that rate is stretched across constant physical effort.

What Makes Some Housekeepers Earn More?

Not every hotel pays the same, and not every attendant starts at the same wage. Some earn more simply because they’ve been consistent, reliable, and flexible with their availability.

Properties tend to reward employees who can handle high guest traffic without calling out or missing room quotas.

Being cross-trained helps, too. Housekeepers who are also trained in laundry operations, common area upkeep, or evening turndown service are often more valuable to hotel managers.

Even if the raise is small, these extra skills can help you secure better shifts or stable full-time hours.

In regions like Medina, NY, where labor supply is tighter, hotels may start experienced attendants at $17 to $19 per hour.

In Las Vegas, NV, where turnover is higher and competition is stiffer, wages tend to start lower—around $15 to $16 per hour—but workers often make up for it with overtime, night shift differentials, or holiday pay.

If you’re dependable, fast, and open to learning new tasks, that combination often leads to raises or early promotion into lead or inspection roles.

Hotels Don’t Always Talk About the Turnover

Turnover in hotel housekeeping is high. The nature of the job—repetitive physical tasks, inconsistent schedules, and often low recognition—leads many workers to leave within a year.

This isn’t always obvious from the outside, and hotels rarely talk about it in job listings.

One issue is limited upward mobility. Unless a hotel actively promotes from within, many housekeeping-room attendants find themselves doing the same job for years without meaningful pay increases. Raises may come, but they’re typically small, and tied to tenure rather than performance.

Scheduling also plays a role. New hires are usually assigned to weekend or evening shifts, which can make it hard to manage work-life balance.

For part-time hires, hours often fluctuate week to week, especially during slow seasons or in hotels that adjust staffing to match occupancy.

Then there’s the expectation gap. Some workers come in expecting a set number of hours or manageable room quotas, only to find that real shifts include extra tasks like hallway cleaning, laundry folding, or last-minute deep cleans.

These tasks often stretch beyond the time allotted and rarely come with bonus pay.

High turnover affects the entire team. When people leave, those who stay are often asked to cover more ground. That creates a cycle where even good employees burn out—and walk away.

And yet, job ads for housekeeping rarely mention this. They highlight “team culture” or “flexible scheduling” but avoid addressing how demanding and under-recognized the job can be.

How to Move Up (or At Least Get Better Hours)

If you enjoy the work but want to improve your situation, here are a few ways to do it:

Be consistent and flexible Supervisors notice people who show up on time, hit their room counts, and help when short-staffed. These are often the first workers considered for raises or schedule upgrades.

Look for hotels that promote from within Some chains actively move high-performing attendants into lead or inspection roles within 6 to 12 months. These promotions often come with small raises and more stable hours.

Cross-train in other departments When you learn laundry, lobby upkeep, or back-of-house cleaning, you become more valuable. It gives you leverage when requesting better shifts or negotiating pay.

Work with a staffing agency Staffing agencies help connect room attendants to hotels that may offer better wages, consistent scheduling, or even long-term placement. This can be a great way to try out new employers without committing full-time right away.

Respect the Work, Know Your Worth

So, how much does a housekeeping room attendant make? On paper, the number is usually between $14 and $18 per hour.

But in practice, it depends on the hotel, your workload, your shift, and if anyone notices how hard you’re working.

This job keeps the hospitality industry running. And while it’s not always glamorous, it deserves more respect and better pay than it often gets.

If you’re working hard and still being overlooked, it’s okay to explore other options.

TBest Services helps room attendants and hospitality workers across New York and Nevada find better-fitting jobs with employers who take the work seriously.

You might be looking for part-time hours or a path to full-time employment—either way, they’ll help you find a place where the job and the paycheck make sense.

SEE ALSO:

• How Much Do Transmission Mechanics Make
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Ask ten finance controllers what they earn, and you’ll probably get ten different answers. That’s because the role of a finance controller isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Some focus purely on financial reporting and oversight. Others step into high-level decision-making and help shape company strategy.

And depending on the industry, company size, and expectations tied to the title, the paycheck can look dramatically different.

So when you’re asking how much do finance controllers actually make, you’re not just asking for a salary number.

You’re asking how much a business is willing to pay for someone who balances cost control, compliance, leadership, and foresight.

The answer depends on what kind of value you bring—and how well that value is recognized by leadership.

What Finance Controllers Actually Do—and Why It Impacts Pay

The finance controller is often considered the company’s financial backbone. They oversee accounting operations, manage budgets, review reports, and make sure systems are running cleanly.

But the full scope of the job can vary a lot depending on the company.

In smaller businesses, controllers often wear multiple hats. That might mean handling payroll, vendor relationships, and even HR-related reporting.

In mid-sized or enterprise-level firms, controllers tend to lead accounting departments, work directly with CFOs, and manage compliance and audits across departments. The more strategic your role, the more your salary reflects that level of responsibility.

So, How Much Do Finance Controllers Actually Make?

The average salary for a finance controller in the U.S. ranges from $85,000 to $130,000 per year. But those numbers shift based on role, location, and industry.

Here’s a quick breakdown of where most finance controller salaries fall:

• At small private companies, you can expect $80,000 to $95,000, especially if you’re handling both day-to-day accounting and some financial reporting.
• In mid-sized firms, where you might lead a team and manage forecasting or ERP platforms, salaries often fall in the $100,000 to $115,000 range.
• Controllers in large corporations or private equity-backed firms, especially those overseeing multiple departments, can reach $120,000 to $140,000 or more.

If you’re asking how much finance controller roles pay and you’re on the lower end of that range, it’s worth reviewing what tasks you’re taking on.

If you’re doing more than just monthly closes and reconciliations, your compensation should reflect that.

Why Industry and Company Size Matter

The industry you work in can significantly change how much you earn.

For example, finance controllers in manufacturing, logistics, or healthcare often earn higher salaries than those in education, nonprofits, or early-stage startups.

That’s because these sectors require more complex financial oversight, including regulatory compliance, inventory accounting, and risk management.

Company size also plays a major role. In businesses with fewer than 50 employees, controllers often work solo or with a small team.

The work is broad but not always deep, which can keep salaries on the modest side. At larger companies, you’re often expected to manage a team, run multi-level reporting, and work closely with leadership.

That added scope—and pressure—typically comes with higher pay.ourself.

Location Still Makes a Difference

In high-demand areas like Rochester, Buffalo, and other parts of New York, finance controllers can expect to earn between $95,000 and $125,000, depending on their industry and team size.

Companies in these regions often deal with multi-state operations or complex supply chains, which increases the demand for experienced finance leadership.

In Las Vegas and other growing cities in Nevada, salaries typically range from $90,000 to $115,000.

The cost of living is slightly lower, but the need for seasoned finance talent—especially in logistics, real estate, and service-based industries—is growing.

Many businesses in these regions offer performance bonuses or equity options to help close the salary gap with higher-cost areas.

If you’re wondering how much finance controller roles pay where you live, these local factors matter as much as the job description.

What Employers Pay More For

TNot every controller role is compensated equally, even within the same city or industry. What makes the difference? It’s not just years of experience; it’s the value you add beyond the basics.

Employers are willing to pay more for finance professionals who bring more than accounting knowledge. For example, candidates with ERP system experience—like SAP, NetSuite, or QuickBooks Enterprise—often earn more, especially if they’ve led implementations or system upgrades.

Strong team leadership is another differentiator. Controllers who manage accounting teams, train staff, and support cross-functional collaboration tend to be seen as operational leaders, not just financial managers.

That makes them more valuable.

Additional pay drivers include:

• Audit readiness and compliance oversight, especially in regulated industries
• Process improvement initiatives, like streamlining month-end closes or automating reporting
• A clear track record of cost savings or improved budget performance

These are not optional skills in 2025; they’re expected at the upper end of the salary range.

When and How to Negotiate Smarter

Negotiating salary as a finance controller isn’t just about market averages. It’s about how your experience connects to business outcomes.

If your responsibilities include leading forecasting, managing cash flow, or advising on cost strategies, you’re doing more than routine accounting. That gives you leverage.

When entering a new role, ask about how success is measured.

Can you tie part of your compensation to performance? That might include setting metrics around budgeting accuracy, system upgrades, or departmental efficiency.

If you’re joining a smaller firm, you can also ask about profit-sharing or long-term equity. Just make sure you understand the vesting terms and what kind of exit scenario would make those shares meaningful.

If you’re already in the role and feeling underpaid, document your impact. Have you implemented a new reporting process?

Improved close time by 20%? Found cost savings that increased margins? These are real, measurable wins—and they’re what your employer needs to see when you request a raise.

Even if a raise isn’t possible right away, bringing data to the table keeps the conversation professional and goal-focused.

It also sets the stage for future negotiations tied to performance benchmarks.

Are You Being Underpaid Without Realizing It?

It happens more often than people admit. Controllers sometimes take on wide-ranging responsibilities over time without a title or salary adjustment.

If you’re leading a team, supporting audits, and advising executives—but still making under $100,000, you may be due for a compensation review.

Another clue is when your job title doesn’t reflect the scope of your role. If you’re doing Director-level work under a Controller title, it’s worth discussing with leadership.

This is especially true if you’re making decisions that affect hiring, expansion, or pricing models.

Regional benchmarks also matter. In Medina, NY, a controller in manufacturing or logistics typically earns $100,000–$115,000, with room to grow if they’re leading multiple financial functions.

In Las Vegas, NV, someone managing operations and budget forecasting can make $110,000–$125,000, especially with ERP and compliance experience.

If your numbers don’t line up—and your work does—it may be time to renegotiate or explore other opportunities.

Think Like a Controller, Earn Like a Strategist

The question how much do finance controllers make isn’t about a fixed salary band. It’s about the role you’ve carved out and the value you bring.

Controllers who focus only on compliance may see their pay stay flat. But those who actively contribute to business decisions, improve systems, and lead teams often see salaries grow—fast.

Finance is no longer just about reporting. It’s about analysis, forecasting, and accountability. If you’re already doing that work, your compensation should reflect it.

TBest Services connects finance professionals in New York and Nevada with companies who know the difference between routine and real leadership.

If you’re in a controller role and ready for a better match—or better pay—we can help you get there.

SEE ALSO:

• How Much Do Transmission Mechanics Make
• How Much Do Cable Assemblers Make
• How Much Do Junior Project Managers Make