Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $22,340 | $10.74 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Mean (average) | $32,690 | $15.72 |
| 90th percentile | $43,990 | $21.15 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $26,130 | $21,230 | $34,400 | 5,400 | 0.92 |
| Alaska | $30,210 | $24,770 | $44,270 | 740 | 0.82 |
| Arizona | $34,740 | $30,710 | $46,850 | 10,710 | 1.19 |
| Arkansas | $26,760 | $23,460 | $33,560 | 3,110 | 0.86 |
| California | $36,640 | $34,360 | $46,060 | 41,100 | 0.81 |
| Colorado | $36,340 | $30,800 | $55,660 | 9,490 | 1.19 |
| Connecticut | $34,210 | $34,010 | $44,060 | 3,670 | 0.78 |
| Delaware | $31,200 | $31,200 | $35,360 | 1,680 | 1.25 |
| District of Columbia | $37,570 | $36,740 | $47,090 | 2,450 | 1.25 |
| Florida | $29,810 | $27,750 | $43,680 | 37,100 | 1.34 |
| Georgia | $27,850 | $19,890 | $34,900 | 17,300 | 1.27 |
| Guam | $20,450 | $19,820 | $22,020 | 250 | 1.33 |
| Hawaii | $47,070 | $29,710 | $62,560 | 2,650 | 1.52 |
| Idaho | $27,280 | $18,400 | $35,770 | 2,360 | 0.99 |
| Illinois | $31,200 | $31,200 | $44,720 | 16,500 | 0.97 |
| Indiana | $26,920 | $19,290 | $37,060 | 9,730 | 1.09 |
| Iowa | $28,210 | $21,880 | $40,550 | 2,630 | 0.61 |
| Kansas | $28,110 | $18,040 | $39,040 | 4,540 | 1.14 |
| Kentucky | $27,100 | $19,150 | $35,300 | 5,120 | 0.92 |
| Louisiana | $22,060 | $16,280 | $31,610 | 6,440 | 1.2 |
| Maine | $36,800 | $30,840 | $51,040 | 1,460 | 0.82 |
| Maryland | $34,860 | $31,200 | $38,180 | 7,390 | 0.96 |
| Massachusetts | $34,960 | $31,200 | $41,740 | 13,540 | 1.34 |
| Michigan | $28,950 | $25,960 | $37,270 | 12,620 | 1.03 |
| Minnesota | $30,200 | $24,000 | $38,960 | 7,150 | 0.87 |
| Mississippi | $21,990 | $17,240 | $28,890 | 2,660 | 0.82 |
| Missouri | $29,130 | $28,600 | $37,440 | 8,510 | 1.04 |
| Montana | $28,910 | $22,700 | $35,980 | 1,260 | 0.88 |
| Nebraska | $28,450 | $28,080 | $38,750 | 2,830 | 0.99 |
| Nevada | $31,170 | $25,150 | $48,810 | 6,570 | 1.52 |
| New Hampshire | $33,920 | $26,330 | $38,460 | 2,130 | 1.12 |
| New Jersey | $34,050 | $32,220 | $43,160 | 9,420 | 0.79 |
| New Mexico | $28,480 | $26,830 | $35,180 | 2,670 | 1.1 |
| New York | $36,490 | $32,910 | $53,060 | 18,640 | 0.69 |
| North Carolina | $28,320 | $19,100 | $36,460 | 15,160 | 1.1 |
| North Dakota | $28,660 | $22,020 | $37,670 | 800 | 0.67 |
| Ohio | $27,550 | $22,870 | $37,320 | 15,480 | 1 |
| Oklahoma | $24,740 | $18,810 | $39,310 | 5,060 | 1.07 |
| Oregon | $40,720 | $30,850 | $62,030 | 5,740 | 1.05 |
| Pennsylvania | $29,170 | $20,800 | $41,380 | 18,020 | 1.07 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,480 | $21,840 | $24,960 | 1,270 | 0.48 |
| Rhode Island | $31,400 | $31,200 | $46,690 | ||
| South Carolina | $27,000 | $17,740 | $37,230 | 7,990 | 1.25 |
| South Dakota | $30,310 | $25,380 | $36,800 | 630 | 0.5 |
| Tennessee | $27,490 | $20,180 | $35,770 | 11,280 | 1.24 |
| Texas | $27,080 | $17,270 | $36,870 | 35,550 | 0.91 |
| Utah | $29,610 | $22,040 | $45,100 | 4,950 | 1.02 |
| Vermont | $31,080 | $29,780 | $47,670 | 1,060 | 1.26 |
| Virgin Islands | $33,540 | $25,880 | $61,000 | 90 | 1.01 |
| Virginia | $30,490 | $27,230 | $44,630 | 10,890 | 0.95 |
| Washington | $37,270 | $34,650 | $59,430 | 9,530 | 0.96 |
| West Virginia | $24,420 | $19,640 | $30,460 | 1,580 | 0.81 |
| Wisconsin | $28,060 | $17,830 | $37,440 | 6,430 | 0.79 |
| Wyoming | $22,660 | $17,280 | $33,800 | 660 | 0.85 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 107,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 2%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Provide guests with menus.
- Greet guests and seat them at tables or in waiting areas.
- Maintain contact with kitchen staff, management, serving staff, and customers to ensure that dining details are handled properly and customers' concerns are addressed.
- Assign patrons to tables suitable for their needs and according to rotation so that servers receive an appropriate number of seatings.
- Speak with patrons to ensure satisfaction with food and service, to respond to complaints, or to make conversation.
- Inspect dining and serving areas to ensure cleanliness and proper setup.
- Supervise and coordinate activities of dining room staff to ensure that patrons receive prompt and courteous service.
- Answer telephone calls and respond to inquiries or transfer calls.
Technology skills
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Avenista Table Reservations
- GuestBridge Reserve
- Hospitality Control Solutions Aloha Point-of-Sale
- OpenTable
- Reservation software
- iMagic Restaurant Reservation
Transferable skills for career changers: Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Persuasion, Negotiation, Time Management.
Common job titles: Buffet Hostess, Dining Coordinator, Greeter, Host, Host Coordinator, Hostess, Private Dining Coordinator, Seater.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop make?
The national median annual wage for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop was $31,200 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $22,340 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $43,990. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop a growing career?
BLS projects employment of hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop to change +3.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 107,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Hawaii ($47,070), Oregon ($40,720), District of Columbia ($37,570). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.