Builds and sells a restaurant's wine list, guides guests to bottles that suit their food and budget, and runs the cellar behind the scenes. BLS does not publish separate figures for food service managers; it counts them within food service manager (SOC 11-9051), whose median pay is $69,390 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 11-9051
- Management
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Sommelier in four numbers
- Median pay
- $69,390a year, or $33.36/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $46KTop 10% $108K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.8%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 38,800344,300 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025344.3K
- Projected 2035364.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 344.3K Projected 2035 364.2K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school16.1%
- High school29.7%
- Certificate21.3%
- Some college4.6%
- Associate's18.6%
- Bachelor's9.7%
Highest education held by food service managers Segment Value Less than high school 16.1% High school 29.7% Certificate 21.3% Some college 4.6% Associate's 18.6% Bachelor's 9.7%
Also advertised as: Wine Steward, Head Sommelier, Certified Sommelier, Wine Director, Floor Sommelier.
Pay
How much do Food Service Managers make?
Every sommelier in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$69,390
Middle half earn $56,870 to $86,800
- 10th
- $45,960
- 25th
- $56,870
- 75th
- $86,800
- 90th
- $107,640
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $45,960 |
| 25th | $56,870 |
| Median | $69,390 |
| 75th | $86,800 |
| 90th | $107,640 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $69,390
- Median hourly wage
- $33.36/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $74,880
- People employed
- 238,430
Versus all US occupations
At $69,390, Food Service Managers earn 36% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $18,410 a year.
Versus management occupations
Inside the Management group, where the middle occupation pays $126,060, this is 45% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $107,640 or more while the bottom 10% earn $45,960, a gap of 2.3×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 44% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Washington pays the most at $95,190, and still leads at $88,952 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Food Service Managers 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $95,190 | $88,952 | 1,180 |
| 2Massachusetts | $92,240 | $87,219 | 4,310 |
| 3Hawaii | $87,800 | $79,854 | 1,230 |
| 4New York | $84,200 | $78,020 | 8,000 |
| 5Rhode Island | $82,850 | $81,003 | 760 |
| 6Alaska | $82,030 | $80,140 | 380 |
| 7District of Columbia | $81,680 | $74,321 | 1,000 |
| 8U.S. Virgin Islands | $80,570 | N/A | 140 |
| 9Colorado | $79,870 | $77,505 | 2,440 |
| 10Minnesota | $79,820 | $80,936 | 730 |
Job outlook
Is Sommelier a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Food Service Managers | +5.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Food Service Managers to change 5.8% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 19,900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 38,800 openings are projected each year, 11.3% of the 344,300 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Sommelier
There is no degree requirement. Most sommeliers start as servers, bartenders, or cellar hands and learn by tasting constantly and working beside an experienced wine buyer. Credentials matter for hiring and pay. The Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas runs a ladder from the Introductory course to the Certified Sommelier exam, which tests blind tasting, theory, and tableside service, then the Advanced and Master levels. The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) offers a parallel, theory-heavy track from Level 1 to the Level 4 Diploma.
People usually break in by asking to work cellar inventory or the wine station at a restaurant with a serious list, joining a tasting group, and sitting the Certified exam once they can taste and serve confidently under pressure.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no 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 food service managers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)29.7%
- Post-Secondary Certificate21.3%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree18.6%
- Less than a High School Diploma16.1%
- Bachelor's Degree9.7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 29.7% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 21.3% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 18.6% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 16.1% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 9.7% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Sommelier do?
A sommelier is the wine specialist on a restaurant floor. During service they read the table, recommend bottles and pairings, open and decant wine correctly, and keep the pace of the meal smooth. The best ones translate technical knowledge into a short, friendly suggestion that fits what a guest wants to spend.
Away from the floor, sommeliers buy wine from distributors, taste new releases, price the list so it earns a margin, track inventory, and store bottles at the right temperature. Many also train servers, write pairing notes for tasting menus, and manage sake, spirits, and non-alcoholic programs. In smaller restaurants the sommelier often doubles as a manager on shift.
Day-to-day tasks
- Recommend wines to guests based on their menu choices, preferences, and budget
- Open, decant, and serve wine following formal service standards
- Taste and select wines from distributors and importers for the list
- Price the wine list to meet the restaurant's beverage cost targets
- Track cellar inventory and storage conditions
- Train servers on the list, pairings, and wine service
- Write pairing notes for tasting and seasonal menus
- Plan wine dinners and special events with the kitchen
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Sommeliers work in fine-dining restaurants, hotels, wine bars, private clubs, and cruise ships. Shifts run through evenings, weekends, and holidays, with long hours on your feet carrying cases and climbing into cellars. Daytime hours go to tastings, distributor meetings, and inventory. Some move into retail shops, distribution, or importing for more regular schedules.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
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 importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
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 Listening3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Monitoring3.9
- Reading Comprehension3.8
- Critical Thinking3.6
- Active Learning3.1
- Learning Strategies3.1
- Writing3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.6 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.1 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Coordination3.9
- Management of Personnel Resources3.9
- Service Orientation3.8
- Social Perceptiveness3.6
- Time Management3.5
- Negotiation3.1
- Instructing3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Coordination | 3.9 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.9 |
| Service Orientation | 3.8 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.6 |
| Time Management | 3.5 |
| Negotiation | 3.1 |
| Instructing | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software
- Communications server software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Sommelier?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ESA) built on O*NET's Food Service Manager profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Sommelier |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 4 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 6 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Enterprising6.0
- Conventional4.8
- Realistic4.2
- Social4.1
- Artistic2.6
- Investigative2.0
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 Sommelier
O*NET related occupations
- Management
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
$44,080median a year
Most earn $30K to $66K
+5.4%High school - Food Preparation and Serving Related
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
More management careers
Median annual pay, with food service managers highlighted
- IT Manager$175,140
- Marketing Manager$166,790
- Financial Manager$166,570
- Human Resources Manager$149,280
- Sales Manager$148,270
- Construction Manager$114,990
- Supply Chain Manager$107,230
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager$69,990
- Sommelier$69,390
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| IT Manager | $175,140 |
| Marketing Manager | $166,790 |
| Financial Manager | $166,570 |
| Human Resources Manager | $149,280 |
| Sales Manager | $148,270 |
| Construction Manager | $114,990 |
| Supply Chain Manager | $107,230 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager | $69,990 |
| Sommelier | $69,390 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Sommelier appears on
Questions
Sommelier: frequently asked questions
How much do Food Service Managers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for food service managers. It counts them within food service manager, whose median pay is $69,390 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $56,870 and $86,800, and the top 10% earn $107,640 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Sommelier?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Food Service Managers. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 29.7% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Sommelier a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.8% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 38,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Sommelier do?
A sommelier is the wine specialist on a restaurant floor. A typical task: recommend wines to guests based on their menu choices, preferences, and budget. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Food Service Managers the most?
The highest state medians for Food Service Managers are Washington ($95,190), Massachusetts ($92,240), Hawaii ($87,800) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Sommelier?
O*NET scores Food Service Managers highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESFJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.