Hotel housekeepers make the beds but still can’t afford to lie in them: Average hotel housekeeper daily pay and average hotel room cost, 1967-2014
| Housekeeper daily pay | Average room rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | $ 10.30 | $ 10.09 |
| 1968 | $ 11.36 | $ 10.74 |
| 1969 | $ 12.64 | $ 11.58 |
| 1970 | $ 13.70 | $ 12.61 |
| 1971 | $ 14.76 | $ 13.11 |
| 1972 | $ 15.59 | $ 13.39 |
| 1973 | $ 16.50 | $ 13.98 |
| 1974 | $ 18.09 | $ 15.02 |
| 1975 | $ 19.38 | $ 16.12 |
| 1976 | $ 20.74 | $ 17.45 |
| 1977 | $ 22.71 | $ 18.87 |
| 1978 | $ 24.91 | $ 21.51 |
| 1979 | $ 27.18 | $ 24.80 |
| 1980 | $ 29.75 | $ 28.32 |
| 1981 | $ 32.70 | $ 31.54 |
| 1982 | $ 34.82 | $ 35.20 |
| 1983 | $ 36.87 | $ 36.98 |
| 1984 | $ 37.62 | $ 39.87 |
| 1985 | $ 38.46 | $ 42.67 |
| 1986 | $ 39.21 | $ 44.29 |
| 1987 | $ 39.97 | $ 47.03 |
| 1988 | $ 41.56 | $ 49.76 |
| 1989 | $ 43.30 | $ 51.79 |
| 1990 | $ 45.57 | $ 57.04 |
| 1991 | $ 47.16 | $ 65.06 |
| 1992 | $ 47.92 | $ 68.84 |
| 1993 | $ 48.98 | $ 70.78 |
| 1994 | $ 49.96 | $ 72.90 |
| 1995 | $ 51.40 | $ 75.88 |
| 1996 | $ 52.46 | $ 79.83 |
| 1997 | $ 54.96 | $ 83.74 |
| 1998 | $ 55.20 | $ 87.63 |
| 1999 | $ 57.92 | $ 90.11 |
| 2000 | $ 60.32 | $ 94.32 |
| 2001 | $ 62.88 | $ 94.87 |
| 2002 | $ 64.64 | $ 93.92 |
| 2003 | $ 65.12 | $ 94.26 |
| 2004 | $ 66.48 | $ 99.13 |
| 2005 | $ 67.28 | $ 102.42 |
| 2006 | $ 69.12 | $ 106.68 |
| 2007 | $ 72.32 | $ 112.00 |
| 2008 | $ 75.36 | $ 112.36 |
| 2009 | $ 77.92 | $ 104.31 |
| 2010 | $ 79.44 | $ 104.72 |
| 2011 | $ 80.80 | $ 107.33 |
| 2012 | $ 82.64 | $ 109.04 |
| 2013 | $ 83.84 | $ 110.14 |
| 2014 | $ 85.60 | $ 115.02 |
Note: Inflation-adjusted average wages for hotel housekeepers grew 34 percent over this period.
Source: Average room rate, 2014: American Hotel & Lodging Association (2015). Housekeeper daily pay since 1997 is based on an 8-hour day and BLS's mean hourly wage for "Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners" in the "Traveller Accommodation" (2002-14) and "Hotel and Motel" industry (1997-2001).
Average room rate, 1967-2013: AH&LA data for 2014 indexed to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' "Other lodging away from home including hotels and motels" price index.
For year prior to 1997, wage is based on hourly wage for 1997 indexed to BLS's average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory employees in the "Leisure and Hospitality" industry.