Cafe Associate Salary in the United States

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

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Cafe Associate in the United States is $27,711 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $13.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $31,506
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $25,524 to $29,698
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $23,532
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View as table View as graph 25% $25,524 10% $23,532 90% $31,506 75% $29,698 $27,711 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Cafe Associate Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $29,698 $2,475 $571 $14
Average $27,711 $2,309 $533 $13
25th Percentile $25,524 $2,127 $491 $12
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Key Factors That Influence Cafe Associate Salaries

A Cafe Associate'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 Associate Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Cafe Associate'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): $27,164
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $28,003
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $28,442
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $28,529
  • Expert (over 8 years): $28,588
Levels Salary
Entry Level Cafe Associate$27,164
Intermediate Level Cafe Associate$28,003
Senior Level Cafe Associate$28,442
Specialist Level Cafe Associate$28,529
Expert Level Cafe Associate$28,588
$27,164 0 yr
$28,003 < 2 yrs
$28,442 2-4 yrs
$28,529 5-8 yrs
$28,588 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Cafe Associate 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 Associates. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $30,682.
  • California: $30,566.
  • Massachusetts: $30,158.

Top Paying Cities for Cafe Associates

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: $34,952
  • San Francisco: $34,609
  • Oakland: $33,841

What Skills Can Increase a Cafe Associate'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.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 20.39%
HACCP 2.33%
Food Handling 0.88%
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 Associate'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
$31,037
12%
Innovation
$29,928
8%
Product Quality
$29,651
7%
Teamwork
$29,374
6%
Organizational Skills
$29,374
6%
Leadership
$29,097
5%
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Cafe Associate Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Cafe Associate'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 January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Cafe Associate

Salaries for a Cafe Associate can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $30,837 in 2023 to around $30,333 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Cafe Associate salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Cafe Associate Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$30,837
2024
$30,688
2025
$30,333
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $30,837
2024 $30,688
2025 $30,333
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Cafe Associate

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Cafe Associate

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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.)

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