SOC 35-9031 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — New York
New York · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage for Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop in New York is $36,490 per year, 17.0% above the national median of $31,200.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop in New York is $36,490 per year, 17.0% above the national median of $31,200. Half of workers earn between $34,150 and $43,190. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $32,910 and the ninetieth at $53,060.
Employment stands at 18,640, or 1.9 jobs per thousand held locally. New York ranks number 7th out of 51 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, New York records the highest median at $36,500. Of the 776 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 759th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $32,910 | +5.5% |
| 25th | $34,150 | +9.5% |
| Median (50th) | $36,490 | +17.0% |
| 75th | $43,190 | +38.4% |
| 90th | $53,060 | +70.1% |
| Mean | $40,100 | +28.5% |
Highest-paying metro areas in New York
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $36,500 | 18,530 | |
| 2 | Kiryas Joel | $35,740 | 630 | |
| 3 | Kingston | $34,980 | 140 | |
| 4 | Glens Falls | $34,730 | 140 | |
| 5 | Ithaca | $34,690 | 70 | |
| 6 | Albany | $34,560 | 920 | |
| 7 | Elmira | $34,090 | 80 | |
| 8 | Buffalo | $33,860 | 1,300 | |
| 9 | Rochester | $33,750 | 1,030 | |
| 10 | Utica | $33,590 | 230 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in New York run 7.9% above the national average, so the median of $36,490 buys what $33,818 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 8.4% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$36,490as reported by BLSLocal price level
107.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$33,818US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $36,490 a year, 17.0% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $32,910 to $53,060 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 18,640 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 7th of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is New York, at $36,500.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop in New York?
The median annual wage is $36,490, or $17.54 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $31,200, so pay in New York is 17.0% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in New York earns more than $53,060 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $32,910 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in New York, at $36,500 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 18,640 jobs in this occupation in New York. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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