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 grow 3.4% through 2035, with about 107,100 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- Commonly called: Restaurant Host
- SOC 35-9031
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
- Last updated October 15, 2026
At a glance
Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop in four numbers
- Median pay
- $31,200a year, or $15.00/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $22KTop 10% $44K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.4%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 107,100444,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025444.2K
- Projected 2035459.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 444.2K Projected 2035 459.5K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school42%
- High school29.2%
- Some college15.7%
- Bachelor's13.1%
Highest education held by hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop Segment Value Less than high school 42% High school 29.2% Some college 15.7% Bachelor's 13.1%
Also advertised as: Buffet Hostess, Dining Coordinator, Greeter, Host, Host Coordinator, Hostess.
Pay
How much do restaurant hosts make?
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop earn a median of $31,200 a year ($15.00 an hour, or about $2,600 a month); the lowest-paid 10% earn less than $22,340 and the top 10% more than $43,990 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The best-paying state is Hawaii, with a median of $47,070. See Restaurant host salary in Hawaii and every other state. By city, pay is highest around Kahului ($47,650 average): salary in every city.
Every host and hostess, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$31,200
Middle half earn $27,570 to $36,250
- 10th
- $22,340
- 25th
- $27,570
- 75th
- $36,250
- 90th
- $43,990
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $22,340 |
| 25th | $27,570 |
| Median | $31,200 |
| 75th | $36,250 |
| 90th | $43,990 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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 $35,360, 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 1,741 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.
Pay by state
Which states pay restaurant hosts the most?
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.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hawaii | $47,070 | $42,810 | 2,650 |
| 2Oregon | $40,720 | $39,396 | 5,740 |
| 3District of Columbia | $37,570 | $34,185 | 2,450 |
| 4Washington | $37,270 | $34,828 | 9,530 |
| 5Maine | $36,800 | $37,919 | 1,460 |
| 6California | $36,640 | $33,092 | 41,100 |
| 7New York | $36,490 | $33,812 | 18,640 |
| 8Colorado | $36,340 | $35,264 | 9,490 |
| 9Massachusetts | $34,960 | $33,057 | 13,540 |
| 10Maryland | $34,860 | $33,213 | 7,390 |
Job outlook
Is restaurant host a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.4% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | +3.4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop to change 3.4% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 15,300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 107,100 openings are projected each year, 24.1% of the 444,200 jobs that existed in 2025. 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 2025 to 2035, 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.
AI exposure: high
BLS places this occupation in its high relative AI exposure category, above the middle of the pack: a substantial share of the work overlaps with what AI can do.
Getting in
How to become a restaurant host
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.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
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%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)29.2%
- Some College Courses15.7%
- Bachelor's Degree13.1%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Less than a High School Diploma | 42% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 29.2% |
| Some College Courses | 15.7% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 13.1% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a restaurant host 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.
Working conditions and hours
Part-time work is common for food and beverage serving and related workers. Because restaurants and other eating places typically have extended dining hours, work shifts often include early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Work may be seasonal. Food and beverage serving and related workers may not work or may have limited hours during certain times of the year. For example, those in school cafeterias may work only during the school year, usually 9 to 10 months.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.5
- Speaking3.1
- Reading Comprehension2.9
- Monitoring2.9
- Critical Thinking2.8
- Active Learning2.6
- Writing2.1
- Learning Strategies2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.5 |
| Speaking | 3.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.9 |
| Monitoring | 2.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.8 |
| Active Learning | 2.6 |
| Writing | 2.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Service Orientation3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Coordination2.9
- Persuasion2.6
- Negotiation2.6
- Time Management2.6
- Instructing2.4
- Judgment and Decision Making2.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Service Orientation | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 2.9 |
| Persuasion | 2.6 |
| Negotiation | 2.6 |
| Time Management | 2.6 |
| Instructing | 2.4 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
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.
The workforce
Who works as a restaurant host?
Women make up 83.7% of hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop, against 47.1% of all employed people: a female-dominated occupation.
Only 7.1% are 55 or older (23.2% across all jobs): a young workforce, with 73.3% under 25.
The median worker is 21.7 years old (all workers: 42.1).
- Women
- 83.7%All workers 47.1% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Median age
- 21.7All workers 42.1 · BLS CPS, 2025
- Aged 55+
- 7.1%All workers 23.2% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Employed (CPS)
- 326,000BLS CPS, 2025
| Group | Share of hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop | All employed people |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 83.7% | 47.1% |
| White | 79.0% | 75.7% |
| Black or African American | 8.5% | 12.7% |
| Asian | 6.3% | 7.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 23.8% | 20.0% |
| Aged 55 and over | 7.1% | 23.2% |
| Aged 16 to 24 | 73.3% | 12.2% |
Current Population Survey annual averages, 2025 (BLS tables 11 and 11b). Race groups can overlap with Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, so they do not sum to 100%.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a restaurant host?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 5 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
- Social5.2
- Enterprising4.4
- Conventional4.1
- Realistic3.2
- Artistic1.7
- Investigative1.0
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.
Explore further
Careers related to Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
O*NET related occupations
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper
$33,980median a year
Most earn $21K to $47K
+5.3%No formal credential - Food Preparation and Serving Related
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
- Office and Administrative Support
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
More food preparation and serving related careers
Median annual pay, with hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop highlighted
- Chef$62,470
- Corporate Executive Chef$62,470
- Food Preparation Worker$35,320
- Server$35,230
- Bartender$34,340
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper$33,980
- Barista$31,200
- Fast Food and Counter Worker$31,200
- Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$31,200
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Chef | $62,470 |
| Corporate Executive Chef | $62,470 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,320 |
| Server | $35,230 |
| Bartender | $34,340 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper | $33,980 |
| Barista | $31,200 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $31,200 |
| Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,200 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop appears on
Questions
Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop: frequently asked questions
How much do restaurant hosts 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.
How much do restaurant hosts make an hour?
The median hourly wage for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop is $15.00 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). On a full-year basis the $31,200 annual median works out to about $2,600 a month before tax.
What is the starting salary for a restaurant host?
BLS does not publish a starting salary. The nearest measure is the low end of the pay range: the lowest-paid 10% of hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop earn less than $22,340 a year and the bottom quarter less than $27,570 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). New workers often start near that end, but where a particular job starts depends on the employer, the state and the credentials you bring, so read these as the bottom of the range rather than a guaranteed entry wage.
Which states pay restaurant hosts 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 kind of restaurant host earns the most?
BLS does not split hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop' pay by specialty or employer, but its range shows how far the top end runs: the highest-paid 10% earn more than $43,990, against a median of $31,200 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Location moves pay the most in the published data: the best-paying states are Hawaii ($47,070), Oregon ($40,720), District of Columbia ($37,570).
Do you need a degree to become a restaurant host?
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 some 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.
How long does it take to become a restaurant host?
BLS does not publish a fixed length; it depends on the route. What it does publish: the typical way in for restaurant hosts is no formal educational credential. Once hired, BLS lists short-term on-the-job training as typical. O*NET classes the work as needing some preparation.
Is restaurant host a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.4% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 107,100 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a restaurant host 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.
Do restaurant hosts work 40 hours a week?
Most work fewer than 40. In O*NET's survey of people in the job, 11% of hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop usually work more than 40 hours a week, 40% work exactly 40 and 49% work fewer. 62% say their schedule is regular and 31% irregular, and 8% work seasonally. Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, Work Context.
What personality type suits a restaurant host?
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 1,731 careers in the bank.
What percentage of restaurant hosts are women?
Women make up 83.7% of hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop, against 47.1% of all employed people: a female-dominated occupation. Only 7.1% are 55 or older (23.2% across all jobs): a young workforce, with 73.3% under 25. The median worker is 21.7 years old (all workers: 42.1). Source: BLS Current Population Survey, 2025 annual averages.