Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop (SOC 35-9031) earn a median $31,200 a year ($15.00 an hour) in the United States, with 432,690 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Hawaii.
What hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop do
Hosts and hostesses welcome patrons at a restaurant, lounge, or coffee shop. They greet guests, show them to tables or waiting areas, and give them menus. To spread business fairly, they send parties to tables that fit their needs while taking turns among the servers. They answer the phone, respond to questions, talk with diners to check that they are happy, and deal with complaints. A host stays in contact with kitchen staff, servers, and managers so that dining details are handled, checks that dining and serving areas are clean and properly set, and may direct the dining room staff so guests receive prompt, courteous service. The work does not include carrying out orders or serving food, which keeps it distinct from waiting tables. Titles listed include bar host, buffet hostess, and dining room host.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report less than a high school diploma as the usual education level (about 42 percent).
Also called: Bar Host, Bar Hostess, Breakfast Host, Buffet Hostess, Deli Host (Delicatessen Host).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $10.74 | $13.25 | $15.00 | $17.43 | $21.15 | $15.72 | 432,690 |
| Annual | $22,340 | $27,570 | $31,200 | $36,250 | $43,990 | $32,690 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $14.29 | $14.98 | $22.63 | $27.55 | $30.08 | $21.79 | 2,650 | 4.22 | 1.52 |
| Annual | $29,710 | $31,160 | $47,070 | $57,310 | $62,560 | $45,330 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $14.83 | $16.00 | $19.58 | $23.49 | $29.82 | $20.48 | 5,740 | 2.92 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $30,850 | $33,280 | $40,720 | $48,850 | $62,030 | $42,600 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $17.66 | $17.81 | $18.06 | $21.30 | $22.64 | $19.88 | 2,450 | 3.49 | 1.25 |
| Annual | $36,740 | $37,050 | $37,570 | $44,310 | $47,090 | $41,340 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $16.66 | $17.17 | $17.92 | $21.65 | $28.57 | $20.26 | 9,530 | 2.68 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $34,650 | $35,720 | $37,270 | $45,040 | $59,430 | $42,140 | ||||
| Maine | Hourly | $14.83 | $16.34 | $17.69 | $20.12 | $24.54 | $18.78 | 1,460 | 2.28 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $30,840 | $33,980 | $36,800 | $41,860 | $51,040 | $39,050 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $16.52 | $16.92 | $17.62 | $20.61 | $22.14 | $19.18 | 41,100 | 2.26 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $34,360 | $35,200 | $36,640 | $42,860 | $46,060 | $39,900 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.34 | $13.72 | $14.33 | $17.16 | $21.00 | $15.95 | 37,100 | 3.74 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $27,750 | $28,540 | $29,810 | $35,680 | $43,680 | $33,170 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $8.30 | $10.72 | $13.02 | $14.43 | $17.73 | $13.03 | 35,550 | 2.53 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $17,270 | $22,310 | $27,080 | $30,010 | $36,870 | $27,100 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $15.82 | $16.42 | $17.54 | $20.77 | $25.51 | $19.28 | 18,640 | 1.92 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $32,910 | $34,150 | $36,490 | $43,190 | $53,060 | $40,100 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $10.00 | $11.52 | $14.02 | $16.79 | $19.89 | $14.44 | 18,020 | 2.97 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $20,800 | $23,960 | $29,170 | $34,920 | $41,380 | $30,020 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Hourly | $14.22 | $14.43 | $22.65 | $27.56 | $29.83 | $21.55 | 1,740 | 3.89 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $29,580 | $30,010 | $47,110 | $57,330 | $62,050 | $44,820 | ||||
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | Hourly | $16.00 | $16.26 | $21.75 | $28.46 | $33.64 | $22.91 | 490 | 6.64 | 2.39 |
| Annual | $33,280 | $33,820 | $45,240 | $59,190 | $69,980 | $47,650 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $15.95 | $16.56 | $20.87 | $24.27 | $30.62 | $21.34 | 3,390 | 2.81 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $33,180 | $34,440 | $43,410 | $50,490 | $63,690 | $44,390 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $18.90 | $19.17 | $20.39 | $21.14 | $25.82 | $21.19 | 1,860 | 1.64 | 0.59 |
| Annual | $39,310 | $39,880 | $42,400 | $43,960 | $53,710 | $44,080 | ||||
| Grants Pass, OR | Hourly | $14.92 | $15.20 | $19.66 | $22.95 | $24.49 | $20.07 | 100 | 3.14 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $31,030 | $31,620 | $40,890 | $47,730 | $50,940 | $41,740 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $15.49 | $16.50 | $17.55 | $20.75 | $24.93 | $19.13 | 18,530 | 1.95 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $34,320 | $36,500 | $43,160 | $51,860 | $39,780 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.83 | $17.24 | $17.75 | $20.69 | $22.14 | $19.56 | 15,340 | 2.45 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $35,000 | $35,870 | $36,920 | $43,040 | $46,060 | $40,680 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.25 | $17.40 | $21.76 | $16.80 | 13,390 | 2.97 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $31,200 | $31,720 | $36,190 | $45,260 | $34,930 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $9.62 | $10.55 | $13.73 | $16.20 | $16.84 | $13.37 | 11,940 | 4.13 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $20,000 | $21,930 | $28,560 | $33,700 | $35,020 | $27,800 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $15.00 | $15.00 | $16.89 | $17.67 | $20.33 | $17.12 | 10,580 | 3.91 | 1.41 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $31,200 | $35,140 | $36,760 | $42,290 | $35,600 | ||||
Top industries employing hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
Restaurants and Other Eating Places employ 87.1% of hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop nationally (376,960 jobs) at a median $31,200 a year ($15.00 an hour), followed by Traveler Accommodation (4.5%) and Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (1.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places NAICS 722500 | 376,960 | 87.1% | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Traveler Accommodation NAICS 721100 | 19,660 | 4.5% | $35,580 | $17.10 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) NAICS 722400 | 7,510 | 1.7% | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries NAICS 713900 | 6,760 | 1.6% | $32,220 | $15.49 |
| Special Food Services NAICS 722300 | 6,200 | 1.4% | $35,360 | $17.00 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (432,690). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $24,600 for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop in May 2021 and $31,200 in May 2025, with employment of 324,690 and 432,690.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $24,600 | $11.83 | 324,690 |
| May 2022 | $27,720 | $13.33 | 400,420 |
| May 2023 | $29,220 | $14.05 | 425,020 |
| May 2024 | $30,380 | $14.61 | 427,150 |
| May 2025 | $31,200 | $15.00 | 432,690 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii profile | $22.63 | $47,070 | $29,710 | $62,560 | 2,650 | 4.22 | 1.52 |
| 2 | Oregon profile | $19.58 | $40,720 | $30,850 | $62,030 | 5,740 | 2.92 | 1.05 |
| 3 | District of Columbia profile | $18.06 | $37,570 | $36,740 | $47,090 | 2,450 | 3.49 | 1.25 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $17.92 | $37,270 | $34,650 | $59,430 | 9,530 | 2.68 | 0.96 |
| 5 | Maine profile | $17.69 | $36,800 | $30,840 | $51,040 | 1,460 | 2.28 | 0.82 |
| 6 | California profile | $17.62 | $36,640 | $34,360 | $46,060 | 41,100 | 2.26 | 0.81 |
| 7 | New York profile | $17.54 | $36,490 | $32,910 | $53,060 | 18,640 | 1.92 | 0.69 |
| 8 | Colorado profile | $17.47 | $36,340 | $30,800 | $55,660 | 9,490 | 3.30 | 1.19 |
| 9 | Massachusetts profile | $16.81 | $34,960 | $31,200 | $41,740 | 13,540 | 3.72 | 1.34 |
| 10 | Maryland profile | $16.76 | $34,860 | $31,200 | $38,180 | 7,390 | 2.68 | 0.96 |
| 11 | Arizona profile | $16.70 | $34,740 | $30,710 | $46,850 | 10,710 | 3.31 | 1.19 |
| 12 | Connecticut profile | $16.45 | $34,210 | $34,010 | $44,060 | 3,670 | 2.17 | 0.78 |
| 13 | New Jersey profile | $16.37 | $34,050 | $32,220 | $43,160 | 9,420 | 2.20 | 0.79 |
| 14 | New Hampshire profile | $16.31 | $33,920 | $26,330 | $38,460 | 2,130 | 3.11 | 1.12 |
| 15 | Rhode Island profile | $15.10 | $31,400 | $31,200 | $46,690 | ** | ** | ** |
| 16 | Delaware profile | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $35,360 | 1,680 | 3.47 | 1.25 |
| 17 | Illinois profile | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $44,720 | 16,500 | 2.71 | 0.97 |
| 18 | Nevada profile | $14.99 | $31,170 | $25,150 | $48,810 | 6,570 | 4.23 | 1.52 |
| 19 | Vermont profile | $14.94 | $31,080 | $29,780 | $47,670 | 1,060 | 3.50 | 1.26 |
| 20 | Virginia profile | $14.66 | $30,490 | $27,230 | $44,630 | 10,890 | 2.65 | 0.95 |
| 21 | South Dakota profile | $14.57 | $30,310 | $25,380 | $36,800 | 630 | 1.39 | 0.50 |
| 22 | Alaska profile | $14.52 | $30,210 | $24,770 | $44,270 | 740 | 2.28 | 0.82 |
| 23 | Minnesota profile | $14.52 | $30,200 | $24,000 | $38,960 | 7,150 | 2.42 | 0.87 |
| 24 | Florida profile | $14.33 | $29,810 | $27,750 | $43,680 | 37,100 | 3.74 | 1.34 |
| 25 | Utah profile | $14.24 | $29,610 | $22,040 | $45,100 | 4,950 | 2.85 | 1.02 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania profile | $14.02 | $29,170 | $20,800 | $41,380 | 18,020 | 2.97 | 1.07 |
| 27 | Missouri profile | $14.00 | $29,130 | $28,600 | $37,440 | 8,510 | 2.90 | 1.04 |
| 28 | Michigan profile | $13.92 | $28,950 | $25,960 | $37,270 | 12,620 | 2.87 | 1.03 |
| 29 | Montana profile | $13.90 | $28,910 | $22,700 | $35,980 | 1,260 | 2.46 | 0.88 |
| 30 | North Dakota profile | $13.78 | $28,660 | $22,020 | $37,670 | 800 | 1.86 | 0.67 |
| 31 | New Mexico profile | $13.69 | $28,480 | $26,830 | $35,180 | 2,670 | 3.07 | 1.10 |
| 32 | Nebraska profile | $13.68 | $28,450 | $28,080 | $38,750 | 2,830 | 2.76 | 0.99 |
| 33 | North Carolina profile | $13.62 | $28,320 | $19,100 | $36,460 | 15,160 | 3.07 | 1.10 |
| 34 | Iowa profile | $13.56 | $28,210 | $21,880 | $40,550 | 2,630 | 1.69 | 0.61 |
| 35 | Kansas profile | $13.51 | $28,110 | $18,040 | $39,040 | 4,540 | 3.16 | 1.14 |
| 36 | Wisconsin profile | $13.49 | $28,060 | $17,830 | $37,440 | 6,430 | 2.19 | 0.79 |
| 37 | Georgia profile | $13.39 | $27,850 | $19,890 | $34,900 | 17,300 | 3.54 | 1.27 |
| 38 | Ohio profile | $13.25 | $27,550 | $22,870 | $37,320 | 15,480 | 2.79 | 1.00 |
| 39 | Tennessee profile | $13.22 | $27,490 | $20,180 | $35,770 | 11,280 | 3.44 | 1.24 |
| 40 | Idaho profile | $13.12 | $27,280 | $18,400 | $35,770 | 2,360 | 2.75 | 0.99 |
| 41 | Kentucky profile | $13.03 | $27,100 | $19,150 | $35,300 | 5,120 | 2.56 | 0.92 |
| 42 | Texas profile | $13.02 | $27,080 | $17,270 | $36,870 | 35,550 | 2.53 | 0.91 |
| 43 | South Carolina profile | $12.98 | $27,000 | $17,740 | $37,230 | 7,990 | 3.47 | 1.25 |
| 44 | Indiana profile | $12.94 | $26,920 | $19,290 | $37,060 | 9,730 | 3.04 | 1.09 |
| 45 | Arkansas profile | $12.87 | $26,760 | $23,460 | $33,560 | 3,110 | 2.38 | 0.86 |
| 46 | Alabama profile | $12.56 | $26,130 | $21,230 | $34,400 | 5,400 | 2.56 | 0.92 |
| 47 | Oklahoma profile | $11.89 | $24,740 | $18,810 | $39,310 | 5,060 | 2.97 | 1.07 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $11.74 | $24,420 | $19,640 | $30,460 | 1,580 | 2.25 | 0.81 |
| 49 | Wyoming profile | $10.89 | $22,660 | $17,280 | $33,800 | 660 | 2.35 | 0.85 |
| 50 | Louisiana profile | $10.61 | $22,060 | $16,280 | $31,610 | 6,440 | 3.33 | 1.20 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $10.57 | $21,990 | $17,240 | $28,890 | 2,660 | 2.29 | 0.82 |
Part of Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 35-9031 Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 35-9031, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 35-9031.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.