Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary in Louisiana
Restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop hosts and hostesses in Louisiana earned a median of $22,060 a year ($10.61 an hour) and a mean of $23,320 in May 2025. The median is 29.3% below the U.S. median of $31,200, ranking 52nd of 54 states and territories, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $22,060
- Median hourly
- $10.61
- Mean annual
- $23,320
- Jobs on record
- 6,440
Grey needle: U.S. median, $31,200 a year.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Confirm any figure on bls.gov/oes. Latest BLS release: May 2025, published May 15, 2026; checked November 10, 2026.
How does Louisiana compare on pay for restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop hosts and hostesses?
Louisiana ranks 52nd of 54 states and territories. Hawaii is highest at $47,070, $25,010 more than the Louisiana median.
| State | Rank | Median | Against U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | 50 | $22,660 | -27% | 660 |
| Puerto Rico | 51 | $22,480 | -28% | 1,270 |
| Louisiana | 52 | $22,060 | -29% | 6,440 |
| Mississippi | 53 | $21,990 | -30% | 2,660 |
| Guam | 54 | $20,450 | -34% | 250 |
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025. Rank 1 is the highest median among 54 states and territories with a published figure. See every state.
Does Louisiana pay go further after prices?
Prices in Louisiana run 11.8% below the U.S. average, so the $22,060 median buys about what $25,009 buys at average U.S. prices, below the $31,200 U.S. median. On this measure Louisiana ranks 50th of 51, the same place it holds before the adjustment.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. The adjustment divides pay by the state's price level.
Which areas in Louisiana pay restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop hosts and hostesses the most?
New Orleans-Metairie, LA is highest at $23,060, 4.5% above the Louisiana median.
| Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $23,060 | 2,090 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $22,430 | 1,160 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $22,010 | 220 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $21,910 | 430 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $21,780 | 480 |
| Lafayette, LA | $21,650 | 680 |
| Hammond, LA | $21,520 | 230 |
| Alexandria, LA | $21,120 | 120 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $20,930 | 430 |
| Monroe, LA | $20,910 | 200 |
| Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $20,670 | 100 |
| Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $20,120 | 120 |
| Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $17,910 | 140 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Every area BLS lists for this job in Louisiana is shown; an area that crosses state lines is listed under the first state in its BLS title.
How many restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop hosts and hostesses work in Louisiana?
BLS counts 6,440 jobs in Louisiana, 1.5% of the 432,690 in the U.S. That is the 24th largest count among the 53 states and territories with a published figure. That is 3.3 of every 1,000 jobs in Louisiana, a location quotient of 1.20: the occupation's share of local jobs is 1.20 times its national share, so it is more concentrated here than in the U.S. as a whole.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025 and national file.
How does the Louisiana minimum wage compare with pay for restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop hosts and hostesses?
The 10th-percentile hourly pay for restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop hosts and hostesses in Louisiana was $7.83 in May 2025, $0.58 above the $7.25 minimum wage that applies there now. The pay figure dates from May 2025 and the minimum wage is the current rate, so the two are not from the same date. No state minimum wage law; the federal $7.25 applies to covered employers.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, State Minimum Wage Laws, updated 2026-11-05; BLS OEWS state file, May 2025, 10th-percentile hourly wage.
Related jobs in Louisiana
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS state file, May 2025.