Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers is $33,980, or $16.34 per hour. About 542,750 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $51,200 in Hawaii to $21,550 in Texas.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $51,200 | $24.62 | 4,380 | 2.00 |
| 2 | Washington | $41,420 | $19.91 | 6,160 | 0.50 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $39,080 | $18.79 | 4,130 | 1.68 |
| 4 | Maine | $38,560 | $18.54 | 1,540 | 0.69 |
| 5 | Maryland | $37,020 | $17.80 | 13,240 | 1.37 |
| 6 | Oregon | $36,800 | $17.69 | 3,910 | 0.57 |
| 7 | Colorado | $36,790 | $17.69 | 8,460 | 0.84 |
| 8 | New York | $36,740 | $17.66 | 41,340 | 1.22 |
| 9 | Arizona | $36,500 | $17.55 | 13,300 | 1.18 |
| 10 | California | $36,010 | $17.31 | 75,460 | 1.19 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $35,380 | $17.01 | 11,510 | 0.91 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $34,540 | $16.61 | 5,810 | 0.98 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $34,170 | $16.43 | 16,490 | 1.10 |
| 14 | Vermont | $34,120 | $16.40 | — | — |
| 15 | Florida | $33,280 | $16.00 | 50,400 | 1.45 |
| 16 | Virginia | $32,410 | $15.58 | 11,910 | 0.83 |
| 17 | Delaware | $31,880 | $15.33 | 1,540 | 0.91 |
| 18 | Missouri | $31,850 | $15.31 | 11,590 | 1.13 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $31,200 | $15.00 | 2,880 | 1.64 |
| 20 | Illinois | $31,200 | $15.00 | 21,290 | 1.00 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $31,010 | $14.91 | 890 | 0.59 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $30,690 | $14.76 | 2,160 | 0.60 |
| 23 | Michigan | $30,390 | $14.61 | 13,050 | 0.85 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $29,920 | $14.39 | 2,550 | 1.60 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $29,470 | $14.17 | 11,330 | 0.99 |
| 26 | Ohio | $29,400 | $14.14 | 13,670 | 0.71 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $29,360 | $14.12 | 2,960 | 0.97 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $29,310 | $14.09 | 20,800 | 0.98 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $29,210 | $14.04 | 7,220 | 0.70 |
| 30 | Georgia | $28,920 | $13.91 | 14,540 | 0.85 |
| 31 | Indiana | $28,320 | $13.62 | 10,220 | 0.91 |
| 32 | Iowa | $28,210 | $13.56 | 3,250 | 0.60 |
| 33 | Idaho | $27,810 | $13.37 | 1,520 | 0.51 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $27,670 | $13.30 | 2,160 | 0.47 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $27,560 | $13.25 | 11,230 | 0.65 |
| 36 | Montana | $27,510 | $13.23 | 1,150 | 0.64 |
| 37 | Nevada | $27,460 | $13.20 | 12,750 | 2.35 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $27,150 | $13.05 | 1,170 | 0.48 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $27,080 | $13.02 | 7,220 | 0.70 |
| 40 | Alaska | $27,040 | $13.00 | 860 | 0.76 |
| 41 | Utah | $27,010 | $12.99 | 4,490 | 0.74 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $26,830 | $12.90 | 6,220 | 0.77 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $26,830 | $12.90 | 5,400 | 0.91 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $26,780 | $12.88 | 4,810 | 0.71 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $26,330 | $12.66 | 3,350 | 0.48 |
| 46 | Kansas | $26,300 | $12.65 | 2,960 | 0.59 |
| 47 | New Hampshire | $26,290 | $12.64 | 1,510 | 0.63 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $24,600 | $11.83 | 650 | 0.66 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $23,180 | $11.15 | 2,620 | 0.65 |
| 50 | Alabama | $22,470 | $10.80 | 3,420 | 0.46 |
| 51 | Texas | $21,550 | $10.36 | 60,270 | 1.23 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers make?
The median annual wage for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers in the United States is $33,980, or $16.34 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $21,300, and the top 10% earn $46,570.
How many dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers are employed in the U.S.?
About 542,750 people work as dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers nationwide.
Which state pays dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers the most?
Hawaii pays the most at a median of $51,200, followed by Washington ($41,420) and District of Columbia ($39,080).
Which state pays dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers the least?
Texas has the lowest median at $21,550.
Where are dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Nevada at 2.35×.