Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop is $31,200, or $15.00 per hour. About 432,690 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $47,070 in Hawaii to $21,990 in Mississippi.
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 | $47,070 | $22.63 | 2,650 | 1.52 |
| 2 | Oregon | $40,720 | $19.58 | 5,740 | 1.05 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $37,570 | $18.06 | 2,450 | 1.25 |
| 4 | Washington | $37,270 | $17.92 | 9,530 | 0.96 |
| 5 | Maine | $36,800 | $17.69 | 1,460 | 0.82 |
| 6 | California | $36,640 | $17.62 | 41,100 | 0.81 |
| 7 | New York | $36,490 | $17.54 | 18,640 | 0.69 |
| 8 | Colorado | $36,340 | $17.47 | 9,490 | 1.19 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $34,960 | $16.81 | 13,540 | 1.34 |
| 10 | Maryland | $34,860 | $16.76 | 7,390 | 0.96 |
| 11 | Arizona | $34,740 | $16.70 | 10,710 | 1.19 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $34,210 | $16.45 | 3,670 | 0.78 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $34,050 | $16.37 | 9,420 | 0.79 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $33,920 | $16.31 | 2,130 | 1.12 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $31,400 | $15.10 | — | — |
| 16 | Illinois | $31,200 | $15.00 | 16,500 | 0.97 |
| 17 | Delaware | $31,200 | $15.00 | 1,680 | 1.25 |
| 18 | Nevada | $31,170 | $14.99 | 6,570 | 1.52 |
| 19 | Vermont | $31,080 | $14.94 | 1,060 | 1.26 |
| 20 | Virginia | $30,490 | $14.66 | 10,890 | 0.95 |
| 21 | South Dakota | $30,310 | $14.57 | 630 | 0.50 |
| 22 | Alaska | $30,210 | $14.52 | 740 | 0.82 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $30,200 | $14.52 | 7,150 | 0.87 |
| 24 | Florida | $29,810 | $14.33 | 37,100 | 1.34 |
| 25 | Utah | $29,610 | $14.24 | 4,950 | 1.02 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $29,170 | $14.02 | 18,020 | 1.07 |
| 27 | Missouri | $29,130 | $14.00 | 8,510 | 1.04 |
| 28 | Michigan | $28,950 | $13.92 | 12,620 | 1.03 |
| 29 | Montana | $28,910 | $13.90 | 1,260 | 0.88 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $28,660 | $13.78 | 800 | 0.67 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $28,480 | $13.69 | 2,670 | 1.10 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $28,450 | $13.68 | 2,830 | 0.99 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $28,320 | $13.62 | 15,160 | 1.10 |
| 34 | Iowa | $28,210 | $13.56 | 2,630 | 0.61 |
| 35 | Kansas | $28,110 | $13.51 | 4,540 | 1.14 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $28,060 | $13.49 | 6,430 | 0.79 |
| 37 | Georgia | $27,850 | $13.39 | 17,300 | 1.27 |
| 38 | Ohio | $27,550 | $13.25 | 15,480 | 1.00 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $27,490 | $13.22 | 11,280 | 1.24 |
| 40 | Idaho | $27,280 | $13.12 | 2,360 | 0.99 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $27,100 | $13.03 | 5,120 | 0.92 |
| 42 | Texas | $27,080 | $13.02 | 35,550 | 0.91 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $27,000 | $12.98 | 7,990 | 1.25 |
| 44 | Indiana | $26,920 | $12.94 | 9,730 | 1.09 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $26,760 | $12.87 | 3,110 | 0.86 |
| 46 | Alabama | $26,130 | $12.56 | 5,400 | 0.92 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $24,740 | $11.89 | 5,060 | 1.07 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $24,420 | $11.74 | 1,580 | 0.81 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $22,660 | $10.89 | 660 | 0.85 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $22,060 | $10.61 | 6,440 | 1.20 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $21,990 | $10.57 | 2,660 | 0.82 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop make?
The median annual wage for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop in the United States is $31,200, or $15.00 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $22,340, and the top 10% earn $43,990.
How many hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop are employed in the U.S.?
About 432,690 people work as hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop nationwide.
Which state pays hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop the most?
Hawaii pays the most at a median of $47,070, followed by Oregon ($40,720) and District of Columbia ($37,570).
Which state pays hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $21,990.
Where are hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Hawaii at 1.52×.