How much does a Cafeteria Assistant make in the United States?
As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Cafeteria Assistant in the United States is $28,228 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $14.
However, a Cafeteria Assistant's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $32,018
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $25,880 to $30,212
Key Factors That Influence Cafeteria Assistant Salaries
A Cafeteria Assistant's salary isn't a fixed number.
It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Cafeteria Assistant Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Cafeteria Assistant's salary.
As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases.
Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $28,326
Early Career (1-2 years): $28,717
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $29,388
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $29,480
Expert (over 8 years): $29,632
Levels
Salary
Entry Level Cafeteria Assistant
$28,326
Intermediate Level Cafeteria Assistant
$28,717
Senior Level Cafeteria Assistant
$29,388
Specialist Level Cafeteria Assistant
$29,480
Expert Level Cafeteria Assistant
$29,632
$28,3260 yr
$28,717< 2 yrs
$29,3882-4 yrs
$29,4805-8 yrs
$29,632> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Cafeteria Assistant Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work.
States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors
often pay more to attract Cafeteria Assistants.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $31,254.
California: $31,136.
Massachusetts: $30,721.
District of Columbia$31,254
California$31,136
Massachusetts$30,721
Washington$30,608
New Jersey$30,596
Alaska$30,557
Connecticut$30,167
New York$30,009
Hawaii$29,504
Rhode Island$29,267
Maryland$29,106
Minnesota$28,886
Colorado$28,801
Illinois$28,773
Oregon$28,666
Delaware$28,587
New Hampshire$28,537
Virginia$28,426
Pennsylvania$28,101
Nevada$27,937
North Dakota$27,884
Michigan$27,799
Wisconsin$27,768
Vermont$27,706
Texas$27,534
Maine$27,522
Arizona$27,505
Ohio$27,486
Georgia$27,226
Indiana$27,096
Wyoming$27,071
Utah$27,031
Iowa$27,014
Kansas$26,879
Louisiana$26,839
North Carolina$26,825
Missouri$26,820
Florida$26,709
Montana$26,650
Nebraska$26,594
Kentucky$26,563
South Carolina$26,450
Tennessee$26,379
Idaho$26,351
New Mexico$26,145
Oklahoma$26,100
Alabama$25,933
South Dakota$25,654
Arkansas$25,501
West Virginia$25,419
Mississippi$25,174
Top Paying Cities for Cafeteria Assistants
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $35,604
San Francisco: $35,214
Oakland: $34,472
San Jose, CA$35,604
San Francisco, CA$35,214
Oakland, CA$34,472
New York, NY$32,502
Paramus, NJ$32,106
Queens Village, NY$32,105
Passaic, NJ$32,078
Bergenfield, NJ$32,076
Stamford, CT$32,013
Huntington, NY$32,002
Newark, NJ$31,793
Bridgeport, CT$31,734
Vallejo, CA$31,678
New Brunswick, NJ$31,666
Petaluma, CA$31,649
Middlesex, NJ$31,596
Somerset, NJ$31,576
Santa Cruz, CA$31,539
Boston, MA$31,367
Monterey, CA$31,268
Seattle, WA$31,203
Santa Rosa, CA$31,198
Los Angeles, CA$31,189
Juneau, AK$31,116
Washington, DC$31,085
Orange, CA$30,984
Santa Ana, CA$30,910
Long Beach, CA$30,882
Anaheim, CA$30,876
Anchorage, AK$30,862
Santa Maria, CA$30,777
Everett, WA$30,771
Danbury, CT$30,672
Bremerton, WA$30,633
Tacoma, WA$30,532
New Suffolk, NY$30,531
Sacramento, CA$30,523
Santa Barbara, CA$30,492
Trenton, NJ$30,461
San Diego, CA$30,461
Brockton, MA$30,430
Fairbanks, AK$30,361
Lompoc, CA$30,289
Lowell, MA$30,266
Ventura, CA$30,261
Nashua, NH$30,255
Stockton, CA$30,252
Modesto, CA$30,046
Poughkeepsie, NY$29,984
Olympia, WA$29,930
Kennewick, WA$29,930
New Haven, CT$29,919
Lawrence, MA$29,817
Hartford, CT$29,789
Riverside, CA$29,783
New Bedford, MA$29,755
Richland, WA$29,755
Bakersfield, CA$29,716
San Bernardino, CA$29,704
New Britain, CT$29,702
Atlantic City, NJ$29,702
New London, CT$29,690
Norwich, CT$29,682
Portsmouth, NH$29,676
Boulder, CO$29,616
Portland, OR$29,577
Worcester, MA$29,575
Minneapolis, MN$29,487
Philadelphia, PA$29,448
Honolulu, HI$29,354
Saint Paul, MN$29,341
Vineland, NJ$29,335
Providence, RI$29,253
Chicago, IL$29,171
Bellingham, WA$29,137
Springfield, MA$29,114
Baltimore, MD$29,106
Chico, CA$29,035
Pittsfield, MA$28,959
Manchester, NH$28,906
Spokane, WA$28,781
Denver, CO$28,779
Albany, NY$28,646
Troy, NY$28,635
Nassau, NY$28,604
Schenectady, NY$28,575
Wilmington, DE$28,553
Burlington, VT$28,513
Salem, OR$28,502
Portland, ME$28,414
Yakima, WA$28,386
Rochester, MN$28,299
Reno, NV$28,285
Fresno, CA$28,285
Milwaukee, WI$28,259
Detroit, MI$28,231
Ann Arbor, MI$28,226
Allentown, PA$28,222
Colorado Springs, CO$28,174
Syracuse, NY$28,160
Carson City, NV$28,160
Houston, TX$28,121
Eugene, OR$28,107
Gary, IN$28,073
Springfield, OR$28,050
Bismarck, ND$28,045
Galveston, TX$28,025
Medford, OR$27,983
Fort Collins, CO$27,971
Concord, NH$27,957
Austin, TX$27,949
Mesa, AZ$27,889
Reading, PA$27,887
Phoenix, AZ$27,884
Dallas, TX$27,875
Saint Cloud, MN$27,848
Madison, WI$27,810
Utica, NY$27,734
Rochester, NY$27,689
Des Moines, IA$27,686
Raleigh, NC$27,683
Atlanta, GA$27,641
Battle Creek, MI$27,632
Salt Lake City, UT$27,624
Lancaster, PA$27,582
Harrisburg, PA$27,542
Kansas City, MO$27,514
Champaign, IL$27,508
Kansas City, KS$27,508
Fort Worth, TX$27,505
Columbus, OH$27,501
Boca Raton, FL$27,494
Pittsburgh, PA$27,483
Richmond, VA$27,472
Indianapolis, IN$27,466
Cleveland, OH$27,463
Las Vegas, NV$27,429
Cincinnati, OH$27,429
Petersburg, VA$27,387
Huntsville, AL$27,345
Lansing, MI$27,326
Lebanon, PA$27,322
Pueblo, CO$27,319
Appleton, WI$27,311
Buffalo, NY$27,299
Dayton, OH$27,291
Racine, WI$27,285
Charlotte, NC$27,282
Saint Louis, MO$27,274
York, PA$27,257
Elkhart, IN$27,257
Gastonia, NC$27,252
Billings, MT$27,245
Beaumont, TX$27,237
Lorain, OH$27,232
Benton Harbor, MI$27,226
Toledo, OH$27,220
Binghamton, NY$27,206
Rock Hill, SC$27,203
Rockford, IL$27,189
Springfield, IL$27,178
Elyria, OH$27,175
Fargo, ND$27,175
Flagstaff, AZ$27,155
Fort Lauderdale, FL$27,138
Duluth, MN$27,122
Miami, FL$27,122
Cheyenne, WY$27,102
Grand Forks, ND$27,102
Bangor, ME$27,040
Cedar Rapids, IA$27,009
Durham, NC$26,997
Louisville, KY$26,995
Grand Rapids, MI$26,989
Hialeah, FL$26,986
Casper, WY$26,947
Scranton, PA$26,913
New Orleans, LA$26,904
Virginia Beach, VA$26,901
Akron, OH$26,887
Peoria, IL$26,851
Sarasota, FL$26,845
Nashville, TN$26,825
Omaha, NE$26,825
Green Bay, WI$26,825
Baton Rouge, LA$26,811
Charleston, SC$26,805
Jamestown, NY$26,791
Davenport, IA$26,791
Tucson, AZ$26,777
Saint Petersburg, FL$26,760
Tampa, FL$26,755
Evansville, IN$26,738
Port Arthur, TX$26,738
Bradenton, FL$26,726
Santa Fe, NM$26,676
Orlando, FL$26,625
Clearwater, FL$26,616
Canton, OH$26,557
La Crosse, WI$26,557
Albuquerque, NM$26,540
Newport News, VA$26,537
High Point, NC$26,529
Ogden, UT$26,517
Corpus Christi, TX$26,495
Norfolk, VA$26,478
Laramie, WY$26,478
Rock Island, IL$26,461
Saginaw, MI$26,455
Jacksonville, FL$26,453
Salisbury, NC$26,447
Boise, ID$26,441
Moline, IL$26,427
Fort Myers, FL$26,419
Memphis, TN$26,413
Tulsa, OK$26,399
Waterloo, IA$26,382
Spartanburg, SC$26,354
Lincoln, NE$26,340
Fort Wayne, IN$26,334
Provo, UT$26,331
Cedar Falls, IA$26,297
San Antonio, TX$26,286
Greensboro, NC$26,275
South Bend, IN$26,272
Savannah, GA$26,241
Muskegon, MI$26,230
Birmingham, AL$26,227
Winston Salem, NC$26,213
Lake Charles, LA$26,145
Anderson, IN$26,139
Lexington, KY$26,131
Augusta, GA$26,122
Greenville, SC$26,122
Lima, OH$26,100
Wichita, KS$26,097
Tuscaloosa, AL$26,097
Columbia, SC$26,071
Springfield, OH$26,066
Asheville, NC$26,021
Bloomington, IN$26,001
Knoxville, TN$25,899
Shreveport, LA$25,896
Wilmington, NC$25,860
Roanoke, VA$25,860
Topeka, KS$25,809
Frankfort, KY$25,806
Oklahoma City, OK$25,786
Chillicothe, OH$25,775
Longview, TX$25,772
Melbourne, FL$25,769
Sioux Falls, SD$25,724
Mobile, AL$25,721
Terre Haute, IN$25,710
Altoona, PA$25,693
Amarillo, TX$25,673
Killeen, TX$25,665
Fayetteville, AR$25,642
Chattanooga, TN$25,634
Sioux City, IA$25,609
Idaho Falls, ID$25,603
Lynchburg, VA$25,580
Gainesville, FL$25,544
Portsmouth, OH$25,529
Little Rock, AR$25,524
Lafayette, LA$25,513
Youngstown, OH$25,513
Daytona Beach, FL$25,496
Clarksville, TN$25,493
Pensacola, FL$25,490
Temple, TX$25,488
Hopkinsville, KY$25,405
Erie, PA$25,400
Florence, SC$25,388
Charleston, WV$25,343
Great Falls, MT$25,329
Macon, GA$25,290
Tallahassee, FL$25,287
Fayetteville, NC$25,281
Waco, TX$25,275
Helena, MT$25,256
Pine Bluff, AR$25,245
Vincennes, IN$25,211
Lubbock, TX$25,199
Alamogordo, NM$25,182
Twin Falls, ID$25,157
Rapid City, SD$25,148
Jackson, MS$25,098
Huntington, WV$25,096
Greenville, MS$25,095
Parkersburg, WV$25,066
Montgomery, AL$25,061
Wichita Falls, TX$25,033
Springfield, MO$25,033
Biloxi, MS$25,019
Monroe, LA$24,990
Johnstown, PA$24,971
Sumter, SC$24,959
Columbus, GA$24,956
Pascagoula, MS$24,903
Abilene, TX$24,903
Kingsport, TN$24,829
Albany, GA$24,829
Gulfport, MS$24,821
Alexandria, LA$24,728
Fort Smith, AR$24,657
El Paso, TX$24,581
Las Cruces, NM$24,454
Harlingen, TX$24,382
Pocatello, ID$24,378
Florence, AL$24,341
Brownsville, TX$24,335
Mcallen, TX$24,276
Dothan, AL$24,237
Columbus, MS$24,069
Altus, OK$23,937
Lawton, OK$23,884
Pierre, SD$23,782
What Skills Can Increase a Cafeteria Assistant's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Customer Service (Mentioned in 18.88% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Product Quality (Mentioned in 3.25% Job Postings): Product quality refers to how well a product satisfies customer needs, serves its purpose and meets industry standards. When evaluating product quality, businesses consider several key factors, including whether a product solves a problem, works efficiently or suits customers' purposes.
Hosting (Mentioned in 1.3% Job Postings): An Internet hosting service is a service that runs Internet servers, allowing organizations and individuals to serve content to the Internet. There are various levels of service and various kinds of services offered. A common kind of hosting is web hosting. Most hosting providers offer a combination of services; e-mail hosting, for example. DNS hosting service is usually bundled with domain name registration. Generic kinds of Internet hosting provide a server where the clients can run anything they want (including web servers and other servers) and have Internet connections with good upstream bandwidth. Full-featured hosting services include: Complex Managed Hosting, Dedicated hosting service, Virtual private server,Colocation facilities, Cloud hosting etc.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Customer Service
18.88%
Product Quality
3.25%
Hosting
1.3%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Cafeteria Assistant's salary.
Interviewing: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
Goal Oriented: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
Sense Of Urgency: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Interviewing
$32,745
16%
Goal Oriented
$32,462
15%
Sense Of Urgency
$31,615
12%
Sales Support
$31,333
11%
Integrity
$31,051
10%
Problem Solving
$30,769
9%
Get Latest Data
Cafeteria Assistant Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Cafeteria Assistant roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential
by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Hospitality & Leisure,
offers compensation 10% above the average. Conversely,
Cafeteria Assistant positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as this sector often view Cafeteria Assistant as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industry for a Cafeteria Assistant
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Hospitality & Leisure
$31,051
$15.0
10%
How Education impacts a Cafeteria Assistant's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Cafeteria Assistants enter the field with a No Diploma degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Cafeteria Assistant with a No Diploma is between
$23,305
and $24,701).
Cafeteria Assistant Salaries by Degree Level
Typical Education for Cafeteria Assistant
No Diploma8.5%
High School54.9%
Associates13.4%
Bachelors18.3%
Masters4.9%
Doctorate0.0%
view as table
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
8.5%
High School
54.9%
Associates
13.4%
Bachelors
18.3%
Masters
4.9%
Doctorate
0.0%
view as graph
Cafeteria Assistant Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Cafeteria Assistant's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Salaries for a Cafeteria Assistant can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $27,503 in 2023
to around $27,328 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Cafeteria Assistant salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Cafeteria Assistant Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$27,503
2024
$27,727
2025
$27,328
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$27,503
2024
$27,727
2025
$27,328
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Cafeteria Assistant
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
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Common company salaries for Cafeteria Assistant
Here are companies hiring for Cafeteria Assistant and their salaries, click below for more details.
N
$97,099/per year
New York Police Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$95,962/per year
State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$94,615/per year
US Department of Transportation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$93,141/per year
US General Services Administration
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$92,342/per year
Los Angeles County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
D
$92,011/per year
Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,967/per year
US Department of Commerce
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,755/per year
US Department of Energy
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
F
$91,673/per year
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$90,276/per year
Naval Sea Systems Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,975/per year
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$88,721/per year
San Diego County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,664/per year
The TTB
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$87,569/per year
Lutheran Services
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
M
$85,066/per year
Maryland Inc
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$83,780/per year
State University of New York
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$82,969/per year
New York State
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
P
$82,703/per year
Puerto Rico Department of Education
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$80,526/per year
US Central Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
H
$80,286/per year
Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$79,270/per year
Air Force Reserve
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$78,505/per year
American Automobile Association (AAA)
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$76,678/per year
State of Florida - Department of Health
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$75,183/per year
New York State Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$75,106/per year
State University System of Florida
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
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