State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers is $33,980 a year ($16.34/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 6.3% through 2034, with about 99,600 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
SOC 35-9011Food Preparation and Serving RelatedLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $33,980
- Projected growth
- +6.3%
- Openings a year
- 99,600
- Typical education
- No formal credential
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Barback, Buffet Attendant, Bus Boy, Bus Person, Busser, Dining Room Attendant.
How much do Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers make?
10th percentile$21,300
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$28,330
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$33,980
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$37,250
Upper quartile
90th percentile$46,570
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $33,980 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $16.34/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $34,230 |
| People employed | 542,750 |
Versus all US occupations
At $33,980, Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers earn 33% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $17,000 a year.
Versus food preparation and serving related occupations
Inside the Food Preparation and Serving Related group, where the middle occupation pays $35,275, this is 4% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $46,570 or more while the bottom 10% earn $21,300, a gap of 2.2×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 1% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
U.S. Virgin Islands posts the highest raw median ($51,760), but once local prices are taken into account Hawaii leads at $46,566 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Virgin Islands | $51,760 | N/A | 70 |
| Hawaii | $51,200 | $46,566 | 4,380 |
| Washington | $41,420 | $38,706 | 6,160 |
| District of Columbia | $39,080 | $35,559 | 4,130 |
| Maine | $38,560 | $39,732 | 1,540 |
| Maryland | $37,020 | $35,271 | 13,240 |
| Oregon | $36,800 | $35,603 | 3,910 |
| Colorado | $36,790 | $35,700 | 8,460 |
| New York | $36,740 | $34,043 | 41,340 |
| Arizona | $36,500 | $36,255 | 13,300 |
Is Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper a growing career?
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers6.3%
All US occupations3.1%
+6.3% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers to change 6.3% over 2024–2034, roughly 2.0× the 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 33,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 99,600 openings are projected each year, 18.9% of the 527,400 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of food and beverage serving and related workers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of food and beverage serving and related workers varies by occupation (see table).
As a growing population continues to dine out, purchase take-out meals, or have food delivered, more restaurants, particularly fast food and casual dining restaurants, are expected to open. In response, more food and beverage serving and related workers are expected to be needed.
How to become a Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper
Food and beverage serving and related workers typically have no requirements for education to enter the occupation. They receive short-term on-the-job training.
Most states require workers who serve alcoholic beverages, even as an accompaniment to meals, to be at least 18 years old.
| Typical entry-level education | No formal educational credential |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Little or no preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Short-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers.
- High School Diploma74.0%
- Less than a High School Diploma22.4%
- Post-Secondary Certificate2.5%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)1.1%
What does a Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper do?
Facilitate food service. Clean tables; remove dirty dishes; replace soiled table linens; set tables; replenish supply of clean linens, silverware, glassware, and dishes; supply service bar with food; and serve items such as water, condiments, and coffee to patrons.
Food and beverage serving and related workers take and prepare orders, clear tables, and do other tasks associated with providing food and drink to customers.
Day-to-day tasks
- Maintain adequate supplies of items, such as clean linens, silverware, glassware, dishes, or trays.
- Clean up spilled food or drink or broken dishes and remove empty bottles and trash.
- Wipe tables or seats with dampened cloths or replace dirty tablecloths.
- Locate items requested by customers.
- Fill beverage or ice dispensers.
- Clean and polish counters, shelves, walls, furniture, or equipment in food service areas or other areas of restaurants and mop or vacuum floors.
- Set tables with clean linens, condiments, or other supplies.
- Perform serving, cleaning, or stocking duties in establishments, such as cafeterias or dining rooms, to facilitate customer service.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Core skills
- Active Listening3.0/5
- Speaking2.9/5
- Monitoring2.9/5
- Critical Thinking2.8/5
- Reading Comprehension2.4/5
- Active Learning2.1/5
- Writing2.0/5
- Learning Strategies2.0/5
Transferable skills
- Coordination3.0/5
- Service Orientation3.0/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9/5
- Time Management2.3/5
- Management of Personnel Resources2.3/5
- Operations Monitoring2.1/5
- Persuasion2.0/5
Tools and software
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Point of sale POS software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary5.6
Investigative1.0
Artistic1.0
Socialprimary3.7
Enterprising2.3
Conventionalprimary4.6
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper: frequently asked questions
How much do Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers make?
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers earn a median of $33,980 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 33% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $16.34/hr. The middle half earn between $28,330 and $37,250. The top 10% earn $46,570 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 74.0% hold high school diploma.
Is Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 6.3% over 2024–2034, more than double the 3.1% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 99,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper do?
Food and beverage serving and related workers take and prepare orders, clear tables, and do other tasks associated with providing food and drink to customers. A core O*NET task: maintain adequate supplies of items, such as clean linens, silverware, glassware, dishes, or trays. Employers most often ask for Operating system software, Spreadsheet software, Web page creation and editing software.
Which states pay Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers the most?
The highest state medians for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers are U.S. Virgin Islands ($51,760), Hawaii ($51,200), Washington ($41,420) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Hawaii moves to the top at $46,566.
What personality type suits a Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper?
O*NET scores Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Social interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISFJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.