SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Welcome patrons, seat them at tables or in lounge, and help ensure quality of facilities and service.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 35-9031.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $22,340 | $1,862 | $430 | $10.74 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $27,570 | $2,298 | $530 | $13.25 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $31,200 | $2,600 | $600 | $15.00 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $36,250 | $3,021 | $697 | $17.43 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $43,990 | $3,666 | $846 | $21.15 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop is $31,200, which is 39% lower. Among the 17 occupations of the field Food Preparation and Serving Related, it ranks number 16 by median pay. With 432,690 jobs, it makes up about 28 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop pay by state
The highest median pay was in Hawaii ($47,070), Oregon ($40,720) and District of Columbia ($37,570). The lowest was in Guam ($20,450), Mississippi ($21,990) and Louisiana ($22,060). The most jobs were in California (41,100), Florida (37,100) and Texas (35,550). The occupation is most concentrated in Hawaii, where its share of all jobs is 1.5 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 2,650 | $47,070 | $45,330 | $22.63 |
| Oregon | 5,740 | $40,720 | $42,600 | $19.58 |
| District of Columbia | 2,450 | $37,570 | $41,340 | $18.06 |
| Washington | 9,530 | $37,270 | $42,140 | $17.92 |
| Maine | 1,460 | $36,800 | $39,050 | $17.69 |
| California | 41,100 | $36,640 | $39,900 | $17.62 |
| New York | 18,640 | $36,490 | $40,100 | $17.54 |
| Colorado | 9,490 | $36,340 | $39,250 | $17.47 |
| Massachusetts | 13,540 | $34,960 | $35,420 | $16.81 |
| Maryland | 7,390 | $34,860 | $35,110 | $16.76 |
| Arizona | 10,710 | $34,740 | $37,960 | $16.70 |
| Connecticut | 3,670 | $34,210 | $36,000 | $16.45 |
| New Jersey | 9,420 | $34,050 | $35,800 | $16.37 |
| New Hampshire | 2,130 | $33,920 | $32,900 | $16.31 |
| Virgin Islands | 90 | $33,540 | $36,990 | $16.12 |
| Rhode Island | not published | $31,400 | $34,330 | $15.10 |
| Delaware | 1,680 | $31,200 | $32,600 | $15.00 |
| Illinois | 16,500 | $31,200 | $34,750 | $15.00 |
| Nevada | 6,570 | $31,170 | $35,010 | $14.99 |
| Vermont | 1,060 | $31,080 | $35,670 | $14.94 |
| Virginia | 10,890 | $30,490 | $33,240 | $14.66 |
| South Dakota | 630 | $30,310 | $31,000 | $14.57 |
| Alaska | 740 | $30,210 | $33,840 | $14.52 |
| Minnesota | 7,150 | $30,200 | $31,620 | $14.52 |
| Florida | 37,100 | $29,810 | $33,170 | $14.33 |
| Utah | 4,950 | $29,610 | $31,670 | $14.24 |
| Pennsylvania | 18,020 | $29,170 | $30,020 | $14.02 |
| Missouri | 8,510 | $29,130 | $32,440 | $14.00 |
| Michigan | 12,620 | $28,950 | $31,010 | $13.92 |
| Montana | 1,260 | $28,910 | $29,320 | $13.90 |
| North Dakota | 800 | $28,660 | $29,970 | $13.78 |
| New Mexico | 2,670 | $28,480 | $30,220 | $13.69 |
| Nebraska | 2,830 | $28,450 | $31,480 | $13.68 |
| North Carolina | 15,160 | $28,320 | $28,120 | $13.62 |
| Iowa | 2,630 | $28,210 | $30,690 | $13.56 |
| Kansas | 4,540 | $28,110 | $28,650 | $13.51 |
| Wisconsin | 6,430 | $28,060 | $28,440 | $13.49 |
| Georgia | 17,300 | $27,850 | $27,170 | $13.39 |
| Ohio | 15,480 | $27,550 | $29,370 | $13.25 |
| Tennessee | 11,280 | $27,490 | $27,690 | $13.22 |
| Idaho | 2,360 | $27,280 | $26,370 | $13.12 |
| Kentucky | 5,120 | $27,100 | $26,900 | $13.03 |
| Texas | 35,550 | $27,080 | $27,100 | $13.02 |
| South Carolina | 7,990 | $27,000 | $26,870 | $12.98 |
| Indiana | 9,730 | $26,920 | $27,730 | $12.94 |
| Arkansas | 3,110 | $26,760 | $27,560 | $12.87 |
| Alabama | 5,400 | $26,130 | $26,530 | $12.56 |
| Oklahoma | 5,060 | $24,740 | $26,860 | $11.89 |
| West Virginia | 1,580 | $24,420 | $25,510 | $11.74 |
| Wyoming | 660 | $22,660 | $25,430 | $10.89 |
| Puerto Rico | 1,270 | $22,480 | $23,290 | $10.81 |
| Louisiana | 6,440 | $22,060 | $23,320 | $10.61 |
| Mississippi | 2,660 | $21,990 | $23,510 | $10.57 |
| Guam | 250 | $20,450 | $20,940 | $9.83 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Bartenders$34,340 a year
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$33,980 a year
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$31,200 a year
- Cooks, Fast Food$30,890 a year
Common questions
How much do Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop earn in the United States?
The median pay was $31,200 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $22,340 and the highest-paid 10% more than $43,990.
How many people work as Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop?
About 432,690 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.