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.
Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop is $31,200 a year ($15.00/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to fall 1.5% through 2034, with about 107,700 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
SOC 35-9031Food Preparation and Serving RelatedLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $31,200
- Projected growth
- -1.5%
- Openings a year
- 107,700
- Typical education
- No formal credential
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Buffet Hostess, Dining Coordinator, General Teller, Greeter, Hospitality Coordinator, Host.
How much do Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop make?
10th percentile$22,340
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$27,570
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$31,200
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$36,250
Upper quartile
90th percentile$43,990
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $31,200 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $15.00/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $32,690 |
| People employed | 432,690 |
Versus all US occupations
At $31,200, Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop earn 39% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $19,780 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 12% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $43,990 or more while the bottom 10% earn $22,340, a gap of 2.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 0% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Hawaii pays the most at $47,070, and still leads at $42,810 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $47,070 | $42,810 | 2,650 |
| Oregon | $40,720 | $39,396 | 5,740 |
| District of Columbia | $37,570 | $34,185 | 2,450 |
| Washington | $37,270 | $34,828 | 9,530 |
| Maine | $36,800 | $37,919 | 1,460 |
| California | $36,640 | $33,092 | 41,100 |
| New York | $36,490 | $33,812 | 18,640 |
| Colorado | $36,340 | $35,264 | 9,490 |
| Massachusetts | $34,960 | $33,057 | 13,540 |
| Maryland | $34,860 | $33,213 | 7,390 |
Is Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop a growing career?
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop-1.5%
All US occupations3.1%
-1.5% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Declining
BLS projects employment of Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop to change -1.5% over 2024–2034, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.1%. That is 6,400 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 107,700 openings are projected each year, 25.1% of the 429,900 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 Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
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 hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop.
- Less than a High School Diploma42.0%
- High School Diploma29.2%
- Some College Courses15.7%
- Bachelor's Degree13.1%
What does a Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop do?
Welcome patrons, seat them at tables or in lounge, and help ensure quality of facilities and service.
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
- 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.
- Assist other restaurant workers by serving food and beverages, or by bussing tables.
- Answer telephone calls and respond to inquiries or transfer calls.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Core skills
- Active Listening3.5/5
- Speaking3.1/5
- Reading Comprehension2.9/5
- Monitoring2.9/5
- Critical Thinking2.8/5
- Active Learning2.6/5
- Writing2.1/5
- Learning Strategies2.0/5
Transferable skills
- Service Orientation3.1/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.0/5
- Coordination2.9/5
- Persuasion2.6/5
- Negotiation2.6/5
- Time Management2.6/5
- Instructing2.4/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.1/5
Tools and software
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Data base user interface and query software
- 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 Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realistic3.2
Investigative1.0
Artistic1.7
Socialprimary5.2
Enterprisingprimary4.4
Conventionalprimary4.1
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
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.
Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop: frequently asked questions
How much do Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop make?
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop earn a median of $31,200 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 39% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $15.00/hr. The middle half earn between $27,570 and $36,250. The top 10% earn $43,990 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop, 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, 42.0% hold less than a high school diploma.
Is Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 1.5% over 2024–2034, a loss of 6,400 jobs (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 107,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop 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: provide guests with menus. Employers most often ask for Office suite software, Operating system software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop the most?
The highest state medians for Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop are Hawaii ($47,070), Oregon ($40,720), District of Columbia ($37,570) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop?
O*NET scores Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop highest on the Social, Enterprising and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESFJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.