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Cafe Barista Salary in the United States

How much does a Cafe Barista make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Cafe Barista in the United States is $27,877 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $13.

However, a Cafe Barista's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $31,694
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $25,677 to $29,875
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $23,675
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Cafe Barista Salaries

A Cafe Barista'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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Cafe Barista Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Cafe Barista'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): $27,326
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $28,170
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $28,611
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $28,699
  • Expert (over 8 years): $28,758
Levels Salary
Entry Level Cafe Barista$27,326
Intermediate Level Cafe Barista$28,170
Senior Level Cafe Barista$28,611
Specialist Level Cafe Barista$28,699
Expert Level Cafe Barista$28,758
View as Graph

How Do Cafe Barista 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 Cafe Baristas. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $30,865.
  • California: $30,748.
  • Massachusetts: $30,338.

Top Paying Cities for Cafe Baristas

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: $35,161
  • San Francisco: $34,776
  • Oakland: $34,043

What Skills Can Increase a Cafe Barista's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 20.39% 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.
  • HACCP (Mentioned in 2.33% Job Postings): HACCP is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement to manufacturing and consumption of the finished product.
  • Food Handling (Mentioned in 0.88% Job Postings): Food Handling means one or more operations of food production, manufacture, offering or displaying for sale, storage, preserving, wrapping, transportation, delivery, importation, exportation, or the licensing or approval for any of such activities.
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 20.39%
HACCP 2.33%
Food Handling 0.88%
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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 Cafe Barista's salary.

  • Coaching: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Product Quality: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Coaching $31,222
12%
Innovation $30,107
8%
Product Quality $29,828
7%
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Cafe Barista Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Cafe Barista roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Cafe Barista positions in Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Cafe Barista as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Cafe Barista

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit$33,452$16.020%

Cafe Barista Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Cafe Barista'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.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$25,677
Average $27,877/year
$29,875
$2,140
Average $2,323/month
$2,490
$494
Average $536/week
$575
$12
Average $13/hour
$14
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $29,875 $2,490 $575 $14
Average $27,877 $2,323 $536 $13
25th Percentile $25,677 $2,140 $494 $12

Most common benefits for Cafe Barista

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Cafe Barista

Here are companies hiring for Cafe Barista and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Cafe Barista

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Cafe Barista?

The Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit industry offers the highest average compensation for Cafe Barista roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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