35 Series · SOC 35-9011

Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$33,980
Median / year
$46,570
Top 10% earn
+6.3%
Growth '23–'33
542,750
US workers

Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers earn a median of $33,980 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $33,980, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $21,300 (10th percentile) to $46,570 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 542,750 US workers. Virgin Islands pays the most ($51,760), since pay varies by state and metro area.

35 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers earn a median of $33,980, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 1% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Food Preparation and Serving Related, it ranks #14 of 17 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 6.3% by 2033.

$33,980
Median annual wage
Top 99%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#14 of 17
in Food Preparation and Serving Related
2.2×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Virgin Islands at $51,760. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.

Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers (SOC 35-9011) pays a national median of $33,980 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $21,300 at the 10th percentile to $46,570 at the 90th, with a mean of $34,230 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 542,750 Americans work in this occupation across 54 reporting states and 510 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +6.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 99,600 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is No formal educational credential and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.6 per 100,000 and injury rate of 2.4 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Virgin Islands pays the highest state median at $51,760, which is +52% above the national figure. The top metro is Kahului-Wailuku, HI at $61,230 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 542,750 jobs Median $33,980/yr

Median Salary

$33,980

per year

Median Hourly

$16.34/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$34,230

average

Employment

542,750

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$33,980 Bottom 1% higher than 1% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 35-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 17 35-series occupations with growth data, Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers sits on the faster-growing side at +6.3% growth and $33,980 median pay.

Among 17 35-series occupations with growth data, Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers sits on the faster-growing side at +6.3% growth and $33,980 median pay. Scatter plot of 17 data points. $20000$30000$40000$50000$60000$70000 -20%-10%0%10%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 17 35-series occupations with growth data, Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers sits on the faster-growing side at +6.3% growth and $33,980 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+6.3%

Faster than average

Annual Openings

99,600

per year (projected)

Typical Education

No formal educational credential

On-the-Job Training

Short-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
A

Very Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

0.6/100K

Injury Rate

2.4/100

Danger Index

9.9/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Active Listening 3.0
Coordination 3.0
Service Orientation 3.0
Speaking 2.9
Monitoring 2.9
Social Perceptiveness 2.9
Judgment and Decision Making 2.9
Critical Thinking 2.8
Reading Comprehension 2.4
Time Management 2.3

Knowledge Areas

Customer and Personal Service 4.3
Food Production 3.3
English Language 3.3
Sales and Marketing 3.0
Administration and Management 2.8
Personnel and Human Resources 2.5
Public Safety and Security 2.3
Production and Processing 2.2
Education and Training 2.1
Psychology 2.0

Key Tasks

  • Run cash registers.
  • Serve ice water, coffee, rolls, or butter to patrons.
  • Scrape and stack dirty dishes and carry dishes and other tableware to kitchens for cleaning.
  • Wipe tables or seats with dampened cloths or replace dirty tablecloths.
  • Set tables with clean linens, condiments, or other supplies.
  • Greet and seat customers.
  • Clean up spilled food or drink or broken dishes and remove empty bottles and trash.
  • Maintain adequate supplies of items, such as clean linens, silverware, glassware, dishes, or trays.
  • Locate items requested by customers.
  • Fill beverage or ice dispensers.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$21,300$28,330$33,980$37,250$46,570
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$10.24$13.62$16.34$17.91$22.39
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$21,300

25th Percentile

$28,330

Median

$33,980

75th Percentile

$37,250

90th Percentile

$46,570

Salary by State

View all 54 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Virgin Islands $51,760 +52% above national
2 Hawaii $51,200 +51% above national
3 Washington $41,420 +22% above national
4 District of Columbia $39,080 +15% above national
5 Maine $38,560 +13% above national
6 Maryland $37,020 +9% above national
7 Oregon $36,800 +8% above national
8 Colorado $36,790 +8% above national
9 New York $36,740 +8% above national
10 Arizona $36,500 +7% above national
11 California $36,010 +6% above national
12 Massachusetts $35,380 +4% above national
13 Connecticut $34,540 +2% above national
14 New Jersey $34,170 +1% above national
15 Vermont $34,120 same as national
16 Florida $33,280 2% below national
17 Virginia $32,410 5% below national
18 Delaware $31,880 6% below national
19 Missouri $31,850 6% below national
20 Illinois $31,200 8% below national
21 Rhode Island $31,200 8% below national
22 North Dakota $31,010 9% below national
23 Nebraska $30,690 10% below national
24 Michigan $30,390 11% below national
25 South Dakota $29,920 12% below national
26 Tennessee $29,470 13% below national
27 Ohio $29,400 13% below national
28 New Mexico $29,360 14% below national
29 Pennsylvania $29,310 14% below national
30 Minnesota $29,210 14% below national
31 Georgia $28,920 15% below national
32 Indiana $28,320 17% below national
33 Iowa $28,210 17% below national
34 Idaho $27,810 18% below national
35 Arkansas $27,670 19% below national
36 North Carolina $27,560 19% below national
37 Montana $27,510 19% below national
38 Nevada $27,460 19% below national
39 West Virginia $27,150 20% below national
40 Wisconsin $27,080 20% below national
41 Alaska $27,040 20% below national
42 Utah $27,010 21% below national
43 Oklahoma $26,830 21% below national
44 South Carolina $26,830 21% below national
45 Louisiana $26,780 21% below national
46 Kentucky $26,330 23% below national
47 Kansas $26,300 23% below national
48 New Hampshire $26,290 23% below national
49 Wyoming $24,600 28% below national
50 Mississippi $23,180 32% below national
51 Alabama $22,470 34% below national
52 Puerto Rico $22,450 34% below national
53 Guam $21,720 36% below national
54 Texas $21,550 37% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 510 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $61,230 +80% above national
2 Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $50,680 +49% above national
3 Urban Honolulu, HI $50,200 +48% above national
4 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $45,120 +33% above national
5 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $41,710 +23% above national
6 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $39,310 +16% above national
7 Portland-South Portland, ME $39,170 +15% above national
8 Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area $39,100 +15% above national
9 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $38,210 +12% above national
10 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $38,120 +12% above national
11 Barnstable Town, MA $37,980 +12% above national
12 Kennewick-Richland, WA $37,700 +11% above national
13 Walla Walla, WA $37,700 +11% above national
14 Bangor, ME $37,670 +11% above national
15 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $37,540 +10% above national
16 Napa, CA $37,470 +10% above national
17 Boulder, CO $37,460 +10% above national
18 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $37,420 +10% above national
19 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $37,320 +10% above national
20 Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area $37,270 +10% above national
21 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $37,260 +10% above national
22 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $37,040 +9% above national
23 Lawton, OK $37,000 +9% above national
24 Longview-Kelso, WA $36,980 +9% above national
25 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $36,980 +9% above national
26 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $36,970 +9% above national
27 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $36,960 +9% above national
28 Kingston, NY $36,920 +9% above national
29 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $36,880 +9% above national
30 Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area $36,760 +8% above national
31 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $36,750 +8% above national
32 Tallahassee, FL $36,750 +8% above national
33 Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area $36,560 +8% above national
34 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $36,460 +7% above national
35 Vallejo, CA $36,460 +7% above national
36 Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area $36,460 +7% above national
37 Springfield, MA $36,250 +7% above national
38 Western Washington nonmetropolitan area $36,220 +7% above national
39 Lexington Park, MD $36,200 +7% above national
40 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $36,190 +7% above national
41 Hinesville, GA $36,130 +6% above national
42 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $36,110 +6% above national
43 Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area $36,110 +6% above national
44 Bellingham, WA $36,070 +6% above national
45 Maryland nonmetropolitan area $36,070 +6% above national
46 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $36,060 +6% above national
47 Greeley, CO $35,960 +6% above national
48 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $35,960 +6% above national
49 Pittsfield, MA $35,900 +6% above national
50 Worcester, MA $35,870 +6% above national
51 Medford, OR $35,850 +6% above national
52 Battle Creek, MI $35,810 +5% above national
53 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $35,800 +5% above national
54 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $35,710 +5% above national
55 Ithaca, NY $35,700 +5% above national
56 Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area $35,690 +5% above national
57 Colorado Springs, CO $35,660 +5% above national
58 Traverse City, MI $35,650 +5% above national
59 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $35,640 +5% above national
60 Salinas, CA $35,600 +5% above national
61 Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area $35,570 +5% above national
62 Syracuse, NY $35,540 +5% above national
63 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $35,470 +4% above national
64 Bend, OR $35,360 +4% above national
65 Corvallis, OR $35,350 +4% above national
66 Flagstaff, AZ $35,340 +4% above national
67 Grants Pass, OR $35,320 +4% above national
68 Rochester, NY $35,310 +4% above national
69 Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area $35,310 +4% above national
70 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $35,300 +4% above national
71 Central East New York nonmetropolitan area $35,290 +4% above national
72 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $35,260 +4% above national
73 Salem, OR $35,250 +4% above national
74 North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area $35,250 +4% above national
75 North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area $35,190 +4% above national
76 Glens Falls, NY $35,170 +4% above national
77 Yakima, WA $35,170 +4% above national
78 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $35,140 +3% above national
79 Pueblo, CO $35,140 +3% above national
80 Albany, OR $35,130 +3% above national
81 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $35,110 +3% above national
82 Salisbury, MD $35,040 +3% above national
83 Tucson, AZ $34,990 +3% above national
84 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $34,970 +3% above national
85 Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area $34,930 +3% above national
86 Grand Junction, CO $34,880 +3% above national
87 Modesto, CA $34,870 +3% above national
88 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $34,860 +3% above national
89 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $34,850 +3% above national
90 Ann Arbor, MI $34,830 +3% above national
91 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $34,820 +2% above national
92 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $34,780 +2% above national
93 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $34,740 +2% above national
94 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $34,740 +2% above national
95 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $34,730 +2% above national
96 Utica-Rome, NY $34,730 +2% above national
97 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $34,710 +2% above national
98 Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area $34,680 +2% above national
99 Arizona nonmetropolitan area $34,630 +2% above national
100 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $34,620 +2% above national
101 Hanford-Corcoran, CA $34,590 +2% above national
102 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $34,590 +2% above national
103 Naples-Marco Island, FL $34,560 +2% above national
104 Stockton-Lodi, CA $34,510 +2% above national
105 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $34,380 +1% above national
106 Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area $34,330 +1% above national
107 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $34,320 +1% above national
108 Chico, CA $34,320 +1% above national
109 El Centro, CA $34,320 +1% above national
110 Eugene-Springfield, OR $34,320 +1% above national
111 Fresno, CA $34,320 +1% above national
112 Merced, CA $34,320 +1% above national
113 Redding, CA $34,320 +1% above national
114 Visalia, CA $34,320 +1% above national
115 Yuba City, CA $34,320 +1% above national
116 Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area $34,320 +1% above national
117 Jacksonville, FL $34,290 +1% above national
118 Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area $34,290 +1% above national
119 Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area $34,250 +1% above national
120 New Haven, CT $34,020 same as national
121 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $34,010 same as national
122 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $34,010 same as national
123 Connecticut nonmetropolitan area $34,010 same as national
124 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $33,970 same as national
125 Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area $33,960 same as national
126 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $33,920 same as national
127 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $33,840 same as national
128 Yuma, AZ $33,690 1% below national
129 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $33,540 1% below national
130 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $33,500 1% below national
131 Elmira, NY $33,250 2% below national
132 Charlottesville, VA $33,040 3% below national
133 Midland, MI $33,020 3% below national
134 Binghamton, NY $32,980 3% below national
135 Punta Gorda, FL $32,740 4% below national
136 Vineland, NJ $32,430 5% below national
137 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $32,400 5% below national
138 Santa Fe, NM $32,260 5% below national
139 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $32,220 5% below national
140 St. Louis, MO-IL $31,930 6% below national
141 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $31,470 7% below national
142 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $31,350 8% below national
143 Bismarck, ND $31,310 8% below national
144 Bloomington, IL $31,200 8% below national
145 Champaign-Urbana, IL $31,200 8% below national
146 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $31,200 8% below national
147 Decatur, IL $31,200 8% below national
148 Dover, DE $31,200 8% below national
149 Kankakee, IL $31,200 8% below national
150 Peoria, IL $31,200 8% below national
151 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $31,200 8% below national
152 Rockford, IL $31,200 8% below national
153 Springfield, IL $31,200 8% below national
154 Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area $31,200 8% below national
155 Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area $31,200 8% below national
156 West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area $31,200 8% below national
157 East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area $31,200 8% below national
158 South Illinois nonmetropolitan area $31,200 8% below national
159 East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area $31,200 8% below national
160 Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area $31,200 8% below national
161 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $31,190 8% below national
162 Omaha, NE-IA $31,170 8% below national
163 Niles, MI $31,160 8% below national
164 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $31,150 8% below national
165 Columbia, SC $31,050 9% below national
166 West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area $31,010 9% below national
167 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $30,840 9% below national
168 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $30,760 9% below national
169 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $30,640 10% below national
170 Grand Forks, ND-MN $30,630 10% below national
171 Rapid City, SD $30,570 10% below national
172 Lewiston, ID-WA $30,510 10% below national
173 Grand Island, NE $30,500 10% below national
174 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $30,500 10% below national
175 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $30,490 10% below national
176 Port St. Lucie, FL $30,490 10% below national
177 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $30,470 10% below national
178 Ocala, FL $30,460 10% below national
179 Lincoln, NE $30,450 10% below national
180 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $30,440 10% below national
181 Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area $30,380 11% below national
182 Albuquerque, NM $30,360 11% below national
183 South Florida nonmetropolitan area $30,330 11% below national
184 South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $30,310 11% below national
185 Fargo, ND-MN $30,290 11% below national
186 Kansas City, MO-KS $30,200 11% below national
187 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $30,190 11% below national
188 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $30,150 11% below national
189 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $30,150 11% below national
190 Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area $30,120 11% below national
191 Knoxville, TN $30,080 11% below national
192 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $30,020 12% below national
193 York-Hanover, PA $30,010 12% below national
194 North Florida nonmetropolitan area $30,010 12% below national
195 Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area $30,010 12% below national
196 Columbus, OH $30,000 12% below national
197 Richmond, VA $29,980 12% below national
198 Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area $29,960 12% below national
199 Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area $29,940 12% below national
200 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $29,890 12% below national
201 Lynchburg, VA $29,890 12% below national
202 Columbia, MO $29,860 12% below national
203 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $29,860 12% below national
204 East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area $29,800 12% below national
205 Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area $29,790 12% below national
206 Coeur d'Alene, ID $29,780 12% below national
207 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $29,760 12% below national
208 Joplin, MO-KS $29,750 12% below national
209 Bloomington, IN $29,660 13% below national
210 Fort Wayne, IN $29,640 13% below national
211 Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area $29,640 13% below national
212 Ames, IA $29,630 13% below national
213 North Missouri nonmetropolitan area $29,610 13% below national
214 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $29,590 13% below national
215 St. Cloud, MN $29,580 13% below national
216 Gainesville, FL $29,540 13% below national
217 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $29,530 13% below national
218 Lancaster, PA $29,520 13% below national
219 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $29,520 13% below national
220 Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area $29,510 13% below national
221 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $29,470 13% below national
222 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $29,470 13% below national
223 Monroe, MI $29,470 13% below national
224 St. Joseph, MO-KS $29,460 13% below national
225 North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $29,430 13% below national
226 Springfield, MO $29,410 13% below national
227 Cleveland, OH $29,400 13% below national
228 Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area $29,400 13% below national
229 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $29,380 14% below national
230 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $29,340 14% below national
231 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $29,330 14% below national
232 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $29,300 14% below national
233 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $29,300 14% below national
234 Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area $29,240 14% below national
235 Baton Rouge, LA $29,230 14% below national
236 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $29,140 14% below national
237 Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $29,130 14% below national
238 Bay City, MI $29,120 14% below national
239 Rochester, MN $29,120 14% below national
240 East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $29,110 14% below national
241 Cheyenne, WY $29,090 14% below national
242 Florence, SC $29,090 14% below national
243 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $29,080 14% below national
244 North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) $29,070 14% below national
245 West Montana nonmetropolitan area $29,060 14% below national
246 Cedar Rapids, IA $29,020 15% below national
247 Saginaw, MI $29,010 15% below national
248 Flint, MI $28,950 15% below national
249 Jefferson City, MO $28,950 15% below national
250 Savannah, GA $28,930 15% below national
251 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $28,930 15% below national
252 Jackson, MI $28,920 15% below national
253 Akron, OH $28,900 15% below national
254 Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $28,890 15% below national
255 Lebanon, PA $28,880 15% below national
256 Iowa City, IA $28,860 15% below national
257 Spartanburg, SC $28,800 15% below national
258 Toledo, OH $28,800 15% below national
259 Winchester, VA-WV $28,780 15% below national
260 South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area $28,760 15% below national
261 Las Cruces, NM $28,750 15% below national
262 Mankato, MN $28,730 15% below national
263 State College, PA $28,720 15% below national
264 Madison, WI $28,710 16% below national
265 Asheville, NC $28,700 16% below national
266 West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area $28,670 16% below national
267 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $28,640 16% below national
268 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $28,640 16% below national
269 Roanoke, VA $28,590 16% below national
270 Lima, OH $28,580 16% below national
271 Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area $28,580 16% below national
272 Pittsburgh, PA $28,540 16% below national
273 Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area $28,510 16% below national
274 Sandusky, OH $28,490 16% below national
275 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $28,450 16% below national
276 South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $28,450 16% below national
277 Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area $28,430 16% below national
278 Greensboro-High Point, NC $28,420 16% below national
279 Morristown, TN $28,420 16% below national
280 Harrisonburg, VA $28,390 16% below national
281 West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $28,350 17% below national
282 Gainesville, GA $28,340 17% below national
283 Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area $28,320 17% below national
284 Canton-Massillon, OH $28,300 17% below national
285 Youngstown-Warren, OH $28,300 17% below national
286 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $28,290 17% below national
287 Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $28,200 17% below national
288 Kokomo, IN $28,190 17% below national
289 Reading, PA $28,190 17% below national
290 Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area $28,140 17% below national
291 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $28,120 17% below national
292 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $28,110 17% below national
293 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $28,110 17% below national
294 Sebring, FL $28,110 17% below national
295 Burlington, NC $28,100 17% below national
296 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $28,100 17% below national
297 Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area $28,090 17% below national
298 Idaho Falls, ID $28,080 17% below national
299 Jonesboro, AR $28,040 17% below national
300 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $28,030 18% below national
301 Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $28,020 18% below national
302 St. George, UT $28,010 18% below national
303 Chambersburg, PA $27,990 18% below national
304 Farmington, NM $27,940 18% below national
305 Springfield, OH $27,940 18% below national
306 Chattanooga, TN-GA $27,870 18% below national
307 Fort Smith, AR-OK $27,870 18% below national
308 Wichita, KS $27,870 18% below national
309 Fairbanks-College, AK $27,740 18% below national
310 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $27,730 18% below national
311 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $27,730 18% below national
312 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $27,720 18% below national
313 Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area $27,720 18% below national
314 Tulsa, OK $27,700 18% below national
315 Columbus, IN $27,670 19% below national
316 Dubuque, IA $27,670 19% below national
317 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $27,660 19% below national
318 Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area $27,590 19% below national
319 Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area $27,580 19% below national
320 East Georgia nonmetropolitan area $27,550 19% below national
321 Boise City, ID $27,540 19% below national
322 Lafayette, LA $27,520 19% below national
323 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $27,500 19% below national
324 Gettysburg, PA $27,490 19% below national
325 Mansfield, OH $27,460 19% below national
326 Twin Falls, ID $27,450 19% below national
327 Warner Robins, GA $27,440 19% below national
328 Alaska nonmetropolitan area $27,440 19% below national
329 Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $27,440 19% below national
330 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $27,410 19% below national
331 Fayetteville, NC $27,380 19% below national
332 Charleston, WV $27,360 19% below national
333 Pocatello, ID $27,330 20% below national
334 Wilmington, NC $27,320 20% below national
335 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $27,310 20% below national
336 Sheboygan, WI $27,290 20% below national
337 Evansville, IN $27,270 20% below national
338 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $27,260 20% below national
339 Terre Haute, IN $27,250 20% below national
340 Morgantown, WV $27,240 20% below national
341 Altoona, PA $27,160 20% below national
342 Carson City, NV $27,100 20% below national
343 Winston-Salem, NC $27,100 20% below national
344 Erie, PA $27,060 20% below national
345 Anchorage, AK $27,040 20% below national
346 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $27,040 20% below national
347 High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area $27,040 20% below national
348 Paducah, KY-IL $27,030 20% below national
349 Duluth, MN-WI $27,000 21% below national
350 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $26,950 21% below national
351 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $26,940 21% below national
352 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $26,940 21% below national
353 Kenosha, WI $26,930 21% below national
354 Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area $26,900 21% below national
355 Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area $26,890 21% below national
356 Southwestern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area $26,880 21% below national
357 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $26,830 21% below national
358 Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $26,830 21% below national
359 Appleton, WI $26,820 21% below national
360 Rocky Mount, NC $26,820 21% below national
361 Johnstown, PA $26,760 21% below national
362 Ogden, UT $26,720 21% below national
363 Greenville, NC $26,710 21% below national
364 Wheeling, WV-OH $26,700 21% below national
365 Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area $26,700 21% below national
366 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $26,690 21% below national
367 Wausau, WI $26,690 21% below national
368 Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $26,690 21% below national
369 Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $26,680 21% below national
370 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $26,670 22% below national
371 Logan, UT-ID $26,660 22% below national
372 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $26,640 22% below national
373 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $26,620 22% below national
374 Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $26,620 22% below national
375 Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $26,620 22% below national
376 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $26,560 22% below national
377 North Georgia nonmetropolitan area $26,530 22% below national
378 Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area $26,530 22% below national
379 Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area $26,530 22% below national
380 Wasatch Front Fringe Utah nonmetropolitan area $26,530 22% below national
381 Muncie, IN $26,520 22% below national
382 Green Bay, WI $26,480 22% below national
383 Macon-Bibb County, GA $26,460 22% below national
384 Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area $26,460 22% below national
385 Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area $26,450 22% below national
386 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $26,430 22% below national
387 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $26,410 22% below national
388 Hot Springs, AR $26,350 22% below national
389 Hattiesburg, MS $26,260 23% below national
390 Janesville-Beloit, WI $26,260 23% below national
391 Fond du Lac, WI $26,250 23% below national
392 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $26,240 23% below national
393 Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area $26,240 23% below national
394 Bowling Green, KY $26,200 23% below national
395 Billings, MT $26,180 23% below national
396 Eau Claire, WI $26,170 23% below national
397 Oklahoma City, OK $26,070 23% below national
398 Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area $26,050 23% below national
399 Reno, NV $26,030 23% below national
400 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $26,020 23% below national
401 South Georgia nonmetropolitan area $26,020 23% below national
402 Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area $26,000 23% below national
403 South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $26,000 23% below national
404 Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $26,000 23% below national
405 Clarksville, TN-KY $25,940 24% below national
406 South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $25,940 24% below national
407 Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $25,940 24% below national
408 West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $25,930 24% below national
409 Williamsport, PA $25,910 24% below national
410 Albany, GA $25,780 24% below national
411 Columbus, GA-AL $25,740 24% below national
412 Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $25,740 24% below national
413 Elizabethtown, KY $25,720 24% below national
414 East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $25,720 24% below national
415 Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area $25,600 25% below national
416 Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area $25,590 25% below national
417 Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $25,340 25% below national
418 Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area $25,310 26% below national
419 North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $25,290 26% below national
420 Rome, GA $25,220 26% below national
421 Athens-Clarke County, GA $24,960 27% below national
422 Manchester-Nashua, NH $24,960 27% below national
423 Raleigh-Cary, NC $24,960 27% below national
424 Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $24,960 27% below national
425 Jackson, TN $24,850 27% below national
426 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $24,630 28% below national
427 Casper, WY $24,600 28% below national
428 Jackson, MS $24,400 28% below national
429 Valdosta, GA $24,260 29% below national
430 Cleveland, TN $24,240 29% below national
431 Lexington-Fayette, KY $24,090 29% below national
432 Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area $24,060 29% below national
433 West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $23,930 30% below national
434 Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $23,860 30% below national
435 Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area $23,770 30% below national
436 Kansas nonmetropolitan area $23,760 30% below national
437 Beckley, WV $23,710 30% below national
438 Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $23,660 30% below national
439 Missoula, MT $23,600 31% below national
440 Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area $23,550 31% below national
441 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $23,510 31% below national
442 Midland, TX $23,410 31% below national
443 Owensboro, KY $23,350 31% below national
444 West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $23,340 31% below national
445 Birmingham, AL $23,320 31% below national
446 Decatur, AL $23,290 31% below national
447 Huntsville, AL $23,180 32% below national
448 Helena, MT $23,150 32% below national
449 Jacksonville, NC $23,130 32% below national
450 West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $23,120 32% below national
451 Great Falls, MT $22,990 32% below national
452 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $22,990 32% below national
453 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $22,880 33% below national
454 Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area $22,780 33% below national
455 Mobile, AL $22,770 33% below national
456 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $22,700 33% below national
457 Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $22,690 33% below national
458 Goldsboro, NC $22,620 33% below national
459 Lawrence, KS $22,620 33% below national
460 Hammond, LA $22,600 33% below national
461 Dalton, GA $22,590 34% below national
462 Waco, TX $22,570 34% below national
463 Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area $22,540 34% below national
464 Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $22,530 34% below national
465 Montgomery, AL $22,500 34% below national
466 Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area $22,370 34% below national
467 Ponce, PR $22,360 34% below national
468 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $22,330 34% below national
469 Johnson City, TN $22,320 34% below national
470 Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area $22,320 34% below national
471 Topeka, KS $22,290 34% below national
472 Sumter, SC $22,260 34% below national
473 Monroe, LA $22,040 35% below national
474 Tuscaloosa, AL $22,030 35% below national
475 Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $22,020 35% below national
476 Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area $21,980 35% below national
477 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $21,930 35% below national
478 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $21,850 36% below national
479 Manhattan, KS $21,770 36% below national
480 Victoria, TX $21,770 36% below national
481 Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $21,760 36% below national
482 Dothan, AL $21,600 36% below national
483 Amarillo, TX $21,380 37% below national
484 Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $21,380 37% below national
485 Corpus Christi, TX $21,280 37% below national
486 Sherman-Denison, TX $21,170 38% below national
487 Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $21,170 38% below national
488 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $21,050 38% below national
489 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $20,960 38% below national
490 College Station-Bryan, TX $20,960 38% below national
491 Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area $20,950 38% below national
492 Laredo, TX $20,910 38% below national
493 Auburn-Opelika, AL $20,900 38% below national
494 Wichita Falls, TX $20,890 39% below national
495 Tyler, TX $20,880 39% below national
496 Abilene, TX $20,820 39% below national
497 Gadsden, AL $20,800 39% below national
498 Lake Charles, LA $20,770 39% below national
499 Longview, TX $20,760 39% below national
500 Texarkana, TX-AR $20,640 39% below national
501 Odessa, TX $20,320 40% below national
502 San Angelo, TX $20,160 41% below national
503 Lubbock, TX $20,140 41% below national
504 Killeen-Temple, TX $19,990 41% below national
505 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $19,910 41% below national
506 Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $19,830 42% below national
507 El Paso, TX $19,620 42% below national
508 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $19,290 43% below national
509 Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area $18,060 47% below national
510 North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $17,640 48% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 35 (food preparation and serving) with comparable pay and career paths.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers make?
The median annual salary for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers is $33,980 ($16.34/hour). The salary range spans from $21,300 at the 10th percentile to $46,570 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers the most?
Virgin Islands pays the highest median salary for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers at $51,760/year, which is +52% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers?
The typical entry-level education for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers is No formal educational credential. On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers?
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.6 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 2.4 per 100 workers.
Is Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers a good career?
Employment for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers is projected to grow 6.3% from 2024 to 2034, which is faster than average. About 99,600 openings are projected each year.
How does Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers pay vary by state?
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Virgin Islands at $51,760/year, while Mississippi pays the least at $23,180/year. BLS data covers 54 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers?
The highest-paying metro area for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers is Kahului-Wailuku, HI at $61,230/year. BLS reports wage data for 510 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $37,250/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Virgin Islands leads at $51,760/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.