Dining Room Host/Hostess Salary in the United States
How much does a Dining Room Host/Hostess make in the United States?
As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Dining Room Host/Hostess in the United States is $29,002 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $14.
However, a Dining Room Host/Hostess's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $32,983
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $26,850 to $31,086
Key Factors That Influence Dining Room Host/Hostess Salaries
A Dining Room Host/Hostess'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 Dining Room Host/Hostess Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Dining Room Host/Hostess'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): $28,456
Early Career (1-2 years): $28,849
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $29,523
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $29,615
Expert (over 8 years): $29,768
Levels
Salary
Entry Level Dining Room Host/Hostess
$28,456
Intermediate Level Dining Room Host/Hostess
$28,849
Senior Level Dining Room Host/Hostess
$29,523
Specialist Level Dining Room Host/Hostess
$29,615
Expert Level Dining Room Host/Hostess
$29,768
$28,4560 yr
$28,849< 2 yrs
$29,5232-4 yrs
$29,6155-8 yrs
$29,768> 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?
How Do Dining Room Host/Hostess 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 Dining Room Host/Hostesses.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $32,111.
California: $31,989.
Massachusetts: $31,563.
District of Columbia$32,111
California$31,989
Massachusetts$31,563
Washington$31,447
New Jersey$31,435
Alaska$31,395
Connecticut$30,994
New York$30,832
Hawaii$30,313
Rhode Island$30,069
Maryland$29,904
Minnesota$29,678
Colorado$29,591
Illinois$29,562
Oregon$29,452
Delaware$29,370
New Hampshire$29,319
Virginia$29,205
Pennsylvania$28,871
Nevada$28,703
North Dakota$28,648
Michigan$28,561
Wisconsin$28,529
Vermont$28,465
Texas$28,289
Maine$28,277
Arizona$28,260
Ohio$28,239
Georgia$27,972
Indiana$27,839
Wyoming$27,813
Utah$27,772
Iowa$27,755
Kansas$27,616
Louisiana$27,575
North Carolina$27,561
Missouri$27,555
Florida$27,442
Montana$27,381
Nebraska$27,323
Kentucky$27,291
South Carolina$27,175
Tennessee$27,102
Idaho$27,073
New Mexico$26,862
Oklahoma$26,815
Alabama$26,644
South Dakota$26,357
Arkansas$26,200
West Virginia$26,116
Mississippi$25,864
Top Paying Cities for Dining Room Host/Hostesses
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: $36,580
San Francisco: $36,180
Oakland: $35,417
San Jose, CA$36,580
San Francisco, CA$36,180
Oakland, CA$35,417
New York, NY$33,393
Paramus, NJ$32,987
Queens Village, NY$32,985
Passaic, NJ$32,958
Bergenfield, NJ$32,955
Stamford, CT$32,891
Huntington, NY$32,879
Newark, NJ$32,665
Bridgeport, CT$32,604
Vallejo, CA$32,546
New Brunswick, NJ$32,534
Petaluma, CA$32,517
Middlesex, NJ$32,462
Somerset, NJ$32,442
Santa Cruz, CA$32,404
Boston, MA$32,227
Monterey, CA$32,125
Seattle, WA$32,059
Santa Rosa, CA$32,053
Los Angeles, CA$32,044
Juneau, AK$31,969
Washington, DC$31,937
Orange, CA$31,834
Santa Ana, CA$31,757
Long Beach, CA$31,728
Anaheim, CA$31,722
Anchorage, AK$31,708
Santa Maria, CA$31,621
Everett, WA$31,615
Danbury, CT$31,513
Bremerton, WA$31,473
Tacoma, WA$31,369
New Suffolk, NY$31,368
Sacramento, CA$31,360
Santa Barbara, CA$31,328
Trenton, NJ$31,296
San Diego, CA$31,296
Brockton, MA$31,264
Fairbanks, AK$31,193
Lompoc, CA$31,119
Lowell, MA$31,096
Ventura, CA$31,090
Nashua, NH$31,084
Stockton, CA$31,081
Modesto, CA$30,870
Poughkeepsie, NY$30,806
Olympia, WA$30,751
Kennewick, WA$30,751
New Haven, CT$30,739
Lawrence, MA$30,635
Hartford, CT$30,606
Riverside, CA$30,600
New Bedford, MA$30,571
Richland, WA$30,571
Bakersfield, CA$30,530
San Bernardino, CA$30,519
New Britain, CT$30,516
Atlantic City, NJ$30,516
New London, CT$30,504
Norwich, CT$30,496
Portsmouth, NH$30,490
Boulder, CO$30,428
Portland, OR$30,388
Worcester, MA$30,385
Minneapolis, MN$30,295
Philadelphia, PA$30,255
Honolulu, HI$30,159
Saint Paul, MN$30,145
Vineland, NJ$30,139
Providence, RI$30,055
Chicago, IL$29,971
Bellingham, WA$29,936
Springfield, MA$29,913
Baltimore, MD$29,904
Chico, CA$29,831
Pittsfield, MA$29,753
Manchester, NH$29,698
Spokane, WA$29,570
Denver, CO$29,568
Albany, NY$29,431
Troy, NY$29,420
Nassau, NY$29,389
Schenectady, NY$29,359
Wilmington, DE$29,336
Burlington, VT$29,295
Salem, OR$29,283
Portland, ME$29,193
Yakima, WA$29,164
Rochester, MN$29,075
Reno, NV$29,060
Fresno, CA$29,060
Milwaukee, WI$29,034
Detroit, MI$29,005
Ann Arbor, MI$29,000
Allentown, PA$28,996
Colorado Springs, CO$28,947
Syracuse, NY$28,932
Carson City, NV$28,932
Houston, TX$28,892
Eugene, OR$28,877
Gary, IN$28,842
Springfield, OR$28,819
Bismarck, ND$28,813
Galveston, TX$28,793
Medford, OR$28,750
Fort Collins, CO$28,738
Concord, NH$28,724
Austin, TX$28,715
Mesa, AZ$28,654
Reading, PA$28,651
Phoenix, AZ$28,648
Dallas, TX$28,639
Saint Cloud, MN$28,612
Madison, WI$28,573
Utica, NY$28,494
Rochester, NY$28,448
Des Moines, IA$28,445
Raleigh, NC$28,442
Atlanta, GA$28,399
Battle Creek, MI$28,390
Salt Lake City, UT$28,381
Lancaster, PA$28,338
Harrisburg, PA$28,297
Kansas City, MO$28,268
Champaign, IL$28,262
Kansas City, KS$28,262
Fort Worth, TX$28,260
Columbus, OH$28,255
Boca Raton, FL$28,248
Pittsburgh, PA$28,236
Richmond, VA$28,225
Indianapolis, IN$28,219
Cleveland, OH$28,216
Las Vegas, NV$28,181
Cincinnati, OH$28,181
Petersburg, VA$28,138
Huntsville, AL$28,094
Lansing, MI$28,075
Lebanon, PA$28,071
Pueblo, CO$28,068
Appleton, WI$28,059
Buffalo, NY$28,048
Dayton, OH$28,039
Racine, WI$28,033
Charlotte, NC$28,030
Saint Louis, MO$28,022
York, PA$28,004
Elkhart, IN$28,004
Gastonia, NC$27,999
Billings, MT$27,992
Beaumont, TX$27,984
Lorain, OH$27,978
Benton Harbor, MI$27,972
Toledo, OH$27,967
Binghamton, NY$27,952
Rock Hill, SC$27,949
Rockford, IL$27,935
Springfield, IL$27,923
Elyria, OH$27,920
Fargo, ND$27,920
Flagstaff, AZ$27,900
Fort Lauderdale, FL$27,883
Duluth, MN$27,865
Miami, FL$27,865
Cheyenne, WY$27,845
Grand Forks, ND$27,845
Bangor, ME$27,781
Cedar Rapids, IA$27,749
Durham, NC$27,737
Louisville, KY$27,735
Grand Rapids, MI$27,729
Hialeah, FL$27,726
Casper, WY$27,685
Scranton, PA$27,651
New Orleans, LA$27,642
Virginia Beach, VA$27,639
Akron, OH$27,624
Peoria, IL$27,587
Sarasota, FL$27,581
Nashville, TN$27,561
Omaha, NE$27,561
Green Bay, WI$27,561
Baton Rouge, LA$27,546
Charleston, SC$27,540
Jamestown, NY$27,526
Davenport, IA$27,526
Tucson, AZ$27,511
Saint Petersburg, FL$27,494
Tampa, FL$27,488
Evansville, IN$27,471
Port Arthur, TX$27,471
Bradenton, FL$27,459
Santa Fe, NM$27,407
Orlando, FL$27,355
Clearwater, FL$27,346
Canton, OH$27,285
La Crosse, WI$27,285
Albuquerque, NM$27,268
Newport News, VA$27,265
High Point, NC$27,256
Ogden, UT$27,244
Corpus Christi, TX$27,221
Norfolk, VA$27,204
Laramie, WY$27,204
Rock Island, IL$27,186
Saginaw, MI$27,181
Jacksonville, FL$27,178
Salisbury, NC$27,172
Boise, ID$27,166
Moline, IL$27,152
Fort Myers, FL$27,143
Memphis, TN$27,137
Tulsa, OK$27,123
Waterloo, IA$27,105
Spartanburg, SC$27,076
Lincoln, NE$27,062
Fort Wayne, IN$27,056
Provo, UT$27,053
Cedar Falls, IA$27,018
San Antonio, TX$27,007
Greensboro, NC$26,995
South Bend, IN$26,992
Savannah, GA$26,960
Muskegon, MI$26,949
Birmingham, AL$26,946
Winston Salem, NC$26,932
Lake Charles, LA$26,862
Anderson, IN$26,856
Lexington, KY$26,847
Augusta, GA$26,838
Greenville, SC$26,838
Lima, OH$26,815
Wichita, KS$26,812
Tuscaloosa, AL$26,812
Columbia, SC$26,786
Springfield, OH$26,780
Asheville, NC$26,734
Bloomington, IN$26,714
Knoxville, TN$26,609
Shreveport, LA$26,606
Wilmington, NC$26,569
Roanoke, VA$26,569
Topeka, KS$26,517
Frankfort, KY$26,513
Oklahoma City, OK$26,493
Chillicothe, OH$26,482
Longview, TX$26,479
Melbourne, FL$26,476
Sioux Falls, SD$26,430
Mobile, AL$26,427
Terre Haute, IN$26,415
Altoona, PA$26,398
Amarillo, TX$26,377
Killeen, TX$26,369
Fayetteville, AR$26,345
Chattanooga, TN$26,337
Sioux City, IA$26,311
Idaho Falls, ID$26,305
Lynchburg, VA$26,282
Gainesville, FL$26,244
Portsmouth, OH$26,229
Little Rock, AR$26,224
Lafayette, LA$26,212
Youngstown, OH$26,212
Daytona Beach, FL$26,195
Clarksville, TN$26,192
Pensacola, FL$26,189
Temple, TX$26,187
Hopkinsville, KY$26,102
Erie, PA$26,096
Florence, SC$26,084
Charleston, WV$26,038
Great Falls, MT$26,023
Macon, GA$25,983
Tallahassee, FL$25,980
Fayetteville, NC$25,974
Waco, TX$25,968
Helena, MT$25,948
Pine Bluff, AR$25,937
Vincennes, IN$25,902
Lubbock, TX$25,890
Alamogordo, NM$25,873
Twin Falls, ID$25,847
Rapid City, SD$25,838
Jackson, MS$25,786
Huntington, WV$25,784
Greenville, MS$25,783
Parkersburg, WV$25,753
Montgomery, AL$25,748
Wichita Falls, TX$25,719
Springfield, MO$25,719
Biloxi, MS$25,704
Monroe, LA$25,675
Johnstown, PA$25,655
Sumter, SC$25,644
Columbus, GA$25,641
Pascagoula, MS$25,586
Abilene, TX$25,586
Kingsport, TN$25,510
Albany, GA$25,510
Gulfport, MS$25,501
Alexandria, LA$25,406
Fort Smith, AR$25,333
El Paso, TX$25,255
Las Cruces, NM$25,124
Harlingen, TX$25,051
Pocatello, ID$25,046
Florence, AL$25,008
Brownsville, TX$25,003
Mcallen, TX$24,942
Dothan, AL$24,901
Columbus, MS$24,729
Altus, OK$24,594
Lawton, OK$24,539
Pierre, SD$24,434
What Skills Can Increase a Dining Room Host/Hostess'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 Dining Room Host/Hostess'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
$33,642
16%
Goal Oriented
$33,352
15%
Sense Of Urgency
$32,482
12%
Sales Support
$32,192
11%
Integrity
$31,902
10%
Problem Solving
$31,612
9%
Get Latest Data
Dining Room Host/Hostess Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Dining Room Host/Hostess 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,
Dining Room Host/Hostess positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as this sector often view Dining Room Host/Hostess as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industry for a Dining Room Host/Hostess
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Hospitality & Leisure
$31,902
$15.0
10%
How Education impacts a Dining Room Host/Hostess's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Dining Room Host/Hostesses 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 Dining Room Host/Hostess with a No Diploma is between
$23,305
and $24,701).
Understanding how a Dining Room Host/Hostess'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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$26,850
Average$29,002/year
$31,086
$2,238
Average$2,417/month
$2,590
$516
Average$558/week
$598
$13
Average$14/hour
$15
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$31,086
$2,590
$598
$15
Average
$29,002
$2,417
$558
$14
25th Percentile
$26,850
$2,238
$516
$13
Salaries of jobs related to Dining Room Host/Hostess
Salaries for a Dining Room Host/Hostess can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $27,629 in 2023
to around $27,453 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Dining Room Host/Hostess salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Dining Room Host/Hostess Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$27,629
2024
$27,854
2025
$27,453
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$27,629
2024
$27,854
2025
$27,453
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Dining Room Host/Hostess
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Dining Room Host/Hostess
Here are companies hiring for Dining Room Host/Hostess 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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