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.
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