What are the main factors that influence a Dining Director's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Dining Director's salary?

A Dining Director's salary grows with experience: a Food & Beverage Supervisor (0-3 years)earns $39,992, a Food & Beverage Manager (3-5 years)earns $89,607, a Dining Director (5+ years)earns $111,914,

What are the highest paying states for a Dining Director?

Dining Director salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Dining Director roles are District of Columbia $123,227, California $122,759, Massachusetts $121,123. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Dining Director roles make?

Salaries for Dining Director level roles vary by specialization: Associate Director of Campus Dining: $162,785; Assistant Director of Dining Services: $127,228; Director Of Dining Services: $113,342; Director of Dining: $111,193; DIRECTOR DINING SERVICES K12: $86,680.

How do different companies affect a Dining Director's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Dining Director roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Dining Director Salary in the United States

How much does a Dining Director make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Dining Director in the United States is $111,296 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $54.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $141,105
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $102,396 to $126,899
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $94,293

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Dining Director Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$126,899	$10,575	$2,440	$61
Average	$111,296	$9,275	$2,140	$54
25th Percentile	$102,396	$8,533	$1,969	$49

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Key Factors That Influence Dining Director Salaries

A Dining Director'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 Do Dining Director 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 Directors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $123,227.
California: $122,759.
Massachusetts: $121,123.

District of Columbia $123,227

California $122,759

Massachusetts $121,123

Washington $120,678

New Jersey $120,634

Alaska $120,478

Connecticut $118,942

New York $118,319

Hawaii $116,327

Rhode Island $115,392

Maryland $114,757

Minnesota $113,889

Colorado $113,555

Illinois $113,444

Oregon $113,021

Delaware $112,709

New Hampshire $112,514

Virginia $112,075

Pennsylvania $110,795

Nevada $110,150

North Dakota $109,938

Michigan $109,604

Wisconsin $109,482

Vermont $109,237

Texas $108,558

Maine $108,514

Arizona $108,447

Ohio $108,369

Georgia $107,345

Indiana $106,833

Wyoming $106,733

Utah $106,577

Iowa $106,510

Kansas $105,976

Louisiana $105,820

North Carolina $105,765

Missouri $105,742

Florida $105,308

Montana $105,075

Nebraska $104,852

Kentucky $104,730

South Carolina $104,284

Tennessee $104,006

Idaho $103,895

New Mexico $103,082

Oklahoma $102,904

Alabama $102,248

South Dakota $101,146

Arkansas $100,545

West Virginia $100,222

Mississippi $99,254

Top Paying Cities for Dining Directors

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: $140,378
San Francisco: $138,841
Oakland: $135,915

San Jose, CA $140,378

San Francisco, CA $138,841

Oakland, CA $135,915

New York, NY $128,145

Paramus, NJ $126,587

Queens Village, NY $126,581

Passaic, NJ $126,476

Bergenfield, NJ $126,466

Stamford, CT $126,221

Huntington, NY $126,175

Newark, NJ $125,353

Bridgeport, CT $125,118

Vallejo, CA $124,896

New Brunswick, NJ $124,852

Petaluma, CA $124,785

Middlesex, NJ $124,574

Somerset, NJ $124,496

Santa Cruz, CA $124,351

Boston, MA $123,672

Monterey, CA $123,281

Seattle, WA $123,027

Santa Rosa, CA $123,004

Los Angeles, CA $122,971

Juneau, AK $122,682

Washington, DC $122,559

Orange, CA $122,163

Santa Ana, CA $121,869

Long Beach, CA $121,758

Anaheim, CA $121,736

Anchorage, AK $121,680

Santa Maria, CA $121,346

Everett, WA $121,324

Danbury, CT $120,932

Bremerton, WA $120,778

Tacoma, WA $120,378

New Suffolk, NY $120,376

Sacramento, CA $120,344

Santa Barbara, CA $120,222

Trenton, NJ $120,100

San Diego, CA $120,100

Brockton, MA $119,977

Fairbanks, AK $119,704

Lompoc, CA $119,421

Lowell, MA $119,330

Ventura, CA $119,309

Nashua, NH $119,287

Stockton, CA $119,276

Modesto, CA $118,463

Poughkeepsie, NY $118,219

Olympia, WA $118,007

Kennewick, WA $118,007

New Haven, CT $117,963

Lawrence, MA $117,562

Hartford, CT $117,451

Riverside, CA $117,428

New Bedford, MA $117,317

Richland, WA $117,317

Bakersfield, CA $117,161

San Bernardino, CA $117,117

New Britain, CT $117,106

Atlantic City, NJ $117,106

New London, CT $117,061

Norwich, CT $117,028

Portsmouth, NH $117,005

Boulder, CO $116,770

Portland, OR $116,616

Worcester, MA $116,605

Minneapolis, MN $116,260

Philadelphia, PA $116,104

Honolulu, HI $115,737

Saint Paul, MN $115,683

Vineland, NJ $115,659

Providence, RI $115,336

Chicago, IL $115,013

Bellingham, WA $114,880

Springfield, MA $114,791

Baltimore, MD $114,757

Chico, CA $114,479

Pittsfield, MA $114,179

Manchester, NH $113,967

Spokane, WA $113,477

Denver, CO $113,466

Albany, NY $112,943

Troy, NY $112,899

Nassau, NY $112,780

Schenectady, NY $112,665

Wilmington, DE $112,576

Burlington, VT $112,420

Salem, OR $112,376

Portland, ME $112,031

Yakima, WA $111,919

Rochester, MN $111,574

Reno, NV $111,519

Fresno, CA $111,519

Milwaukee, WI $111,418

Detroit, MI $111,307

Ann Arbor, MI $111,288

Allentown, PA $111,274

Colorado Springs, CO $111,085

Syracuse, NY $111,029

Carson City, NV $111,029

Houston, TX $110,873

Eugene, OR $110,817

Gary, IN $110,684

Springfield, OR $110,595

Bismarck, ND $110,573

Galveston, TX $110,495

Medford, OR $110,328

Fort Collins, CO $110,283

Concord, NH $110,228

Austin, TX $110,194

Mesa, AZ $109,960

Reading, PA $109,949

Phoenix, AZ $109,938

Dallas, TX $109,905

Saint Cloud, MN $109,798

Madison, WI $109,649

Utica, NY $109,348

Rochester, NY $109,170

Des Moines, IA $109,159

Raleigh, NC $109,148

Atlanta, GA $108,981

Battle Creek, MI $108,948

Salt Lake City, UT $108,914

Lancaster, PA $108,747

Harrisburg, PA $108,592

Kansas City, MO $108,480

Champaign, IL $108,458

Kansas City, KS $108,458

Fort Worth, TX $108,447

Columbus, OH $108,428

Boca Raton, FL $108,402

Pittsburgh, PA $108,358

Richmond, VA $108,313

Indianapolis, IN $108,291

Cleveland, OH $108,280

Las Vegas, NV $108,146

Cincinnati, OH $108,146

Petersburg, VA $107,979

Huntsville, AL $107,812

Lansing, MI $107,738

Lebanon, PA $107,723

Pueblo, CO $107,712

Appleton, WI $107,679

Buffalo, NY $107,634

Dayton, OH $107,601

Racine, WI $107,579

Charlotte, NC $107,568

Saint Louis, MO $107,534

York, PA $107,467

Elkhart, IN $107,467

Gastonia, NC $107,446

Billings, MT $107,420

Beaumont, TX $107,390

Lorain, OH $107,367

Benton Harbor, MI $107,345

Toledo, OH $107,323

Binghamton, NY $107,267

Rock Hill, SC $107,256

Rockford, IL $107,200

Springfield, IL $107,156

Elyria, OH $107,145

Fargo, ND $107,145

Flagstaff, AZ $107,067

Fort Lauderdale, FL $107,000

Duluth, MN $106,933

Miami, FL $106,933

Cheyenne, WY $106,855

Grand Forks, ND $106,855

Bangor, ME $106,610

Cedar Rapids, IA $106,488

Durham, NC $106,441

Louisville, KY $106,432

Grand Rapids, MI $106,410

Hialeah, FL $106,399

Casper, WY $106,243

Scranton, PA $106,110

New Orleans, LA $106,076

Virginia Beach, VA $106,065

Akron, OH $106,009

Peoria, IL $105,865

Sarasota, FL $105,842

Nashville, TN $105,765

Omaha, NE $105,765

Green Bay, WI $105,765

Baton Rouge, LA $105,709

Charleston, SC $105,687

Jamestown, NY $105,631

Davenport, IA $105,631

Tucson, AZ $105,575

Saint Petersburg, FL $105,509

Tampa, FL $105,486

Evansville, IN $105,420

Port Arthur, TX $105,420

Bradenton, FL $105,375

Santa Fe, NM $105,175

Orlando, FL $104,974

Clearwater, FL $104,941

Canton, OH $104,707

La Crosse, WI $104,707

Albuquerque, NM $104,640

Newport News, VA $104,629

High Point, NC $104,596

Ogden, UT $104,551

Corpus Christi, TX $104,462

Norfolk, VA $104,396

Laramie, WY $104,396

Rock Island, IL $104,329

Saginaw, MI $104,307

Jacksonville, FL $104,295

Salisbury, NC $104,273

Boise, ID $104,251

Moline, IL $104,195

Fort Myers, FL $104,162

Memphis, TN $104,140

Tulsa, OK $104,084

Waterloo, IA $104,017

Spartanburg, SC $103,906

Lincoln, NE $103,850

Fort Wayne, IN $103,828

Provo, UT $103,817

Cedar Falls, IA $103,683

San Antonio, TX $103,639

Greensboro, NC $103,594

South Bend, IN $103,583

Savannah, GA $103,461

Muskegon, MI $103,416

Birmingham, AL $103,405

Winston Salem, NC $103,351

Lake Charles, LA $103,082

Anderson, IN $103,060

Lexington, KY $103,027

Augusta, GA $102,993

Greenville, SC $102,993

Lima, OH $102,904

Wichita, KS $102,893

Tuscaloosa, AL $102,893

Columbia, SC $102,793

Springfield, OH $102,771

Asheville, NC $102,593

Bloomington, IN $102,515

Knoxville, TN $102,114

Shreveport, LA $102,103

Wilmington, NC $101,958

Roanoke, VA $101,958

Topeka, KS $101,758

Frankfort, KY $101,746

Oklahoma City, OK $101,669

Chillicothe, OH $101,624

Longview, TX $101,613

Melbourne, FL $101,602

Sioux Falls, SD $101,424

Mobile, AL $101,413

Terre Haute, IN $101,368

Altoona, PA $101,302

Amarillo, TX $101,224

Killeen, TX $101,190

Fayetteville, AR $101,101

Chattanooga, TN $101,068

Sioux City, IA $100,968

Idaho Falls, ID $100,945

Lynchburg, VA $100,856

Gainesville, FL $100,712

Portsmouth, OH $100,656

Little Rock, AR $100,634

Lafayette, LA $100,589

Youngstown, OH $100,589

Daytona Beach, FL $100,523

Clarksville, TN $100,511

Pensacola, FL $100,500

Temple, TX $100,492

Hopkinsville, KY $100,166

Erie, PA $100,144

Florence, SC $100,100

Charleston, WV $99,922

Great Falls, MT $99,866

Macon, GA $99,710

Tallahassee, FL $99,699

Fayetteville, NC $99,677

Waco, TX $99,654

Helena, MT $99,577

Pine Bluff, AR $99,534

Vincennes, IN $99,398

Lubbock, TX $99,354

Alamogordo, NM $99,287

Twin Falls, ID $99,187

Rapid City, SD $99,154

Jackson, MS $98,953

Huntington, WV $98,945

Greenville, MS $98,942

Parkersburg, WV $98,829

Montgomery, AL $98,809

Wichita Falls, TX $98,697

Springfield, MO $98,697

Biloxi, MS $98,642

Monroe, LA $98,530

Johnstown, PA $98,452

Sumter, SC $98,408

Columbus, GA $98,397

Pascagoula, MS $98,185

Abilene, TX $98,185

Kingsport, TN $97,896

Albany, GA $97,896

Gulfport, MS $97,863

Alexandria, LA $97,495

Fort Smith, AR $97,217

El Paso, TX $96,917

Las Cruces, NM $96,416

Harlingen, TX $96,133

Pocatello, ID $96,115

Florence, AL $95,971

Brownsville, TX $95,948

Mcallen, TX $95,715

Dothan, AL $95,559

Columbus, MS $94,898

Altus, OK $94,379

Lawton, OK $94,168

Pierre, SD $93,767

What Skills Can Increase a Dining Director's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Leadership (Mentioned in 6.12% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Menu Development (Mentioned in 2.04% Job Postings): Menu Development focuses primarily on the dish selection and design of a menu. When developing custom menus for clients, we look at the brand's story, guest demographics, local ingredients, and specialties
Food Handling (Mentioned in 1.58% 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
Leadership	6.12%
Menu Development	2.04%
Food Handling	1.58%

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 Director's salary.

Expense Management: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Listening: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Expense Management	$115,748	4%
Listening	$115,748	4%
Initiative	$115,748	4%
Merchandising	$115,748	4%
Verbal Communication	$115,748	4%
Commitment	$115,748	4%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Dining Director's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Dining Directors enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate 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 Director with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $97,611 and $108,761).

Dining Director Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Dining Director

No Diploma 1.4%

High School 22.0%

Associates 17.3%

Bachelors 52.3%

Masters 6.9%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.4%
High School	22.0%
Associates	17.3%
Bachelors	52.3%
Masters	6.9%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Dining Director Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Dining Director'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 May 01, 2026

$102,396

Average $111,296/year

$126,899

$8,533

Average $9,275/month

$10,575

$1,969

Average $2,140/week

$2,440

$49

Average $54/hour

$61

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$126,899	$10,575	$2,440	$61
Average	$111,296	$9,275	$2,140	$54
25th Percentile	$102,396	$8,533	$1,969	$49

Salaries of jobs related to Dining Director

Salary Trends for Dining Director

Salaries for a Dining Director can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $81,586 in 2023 to around $78,137 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Dining Director salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Dining Director Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$81,586

2024

$79,394

2025

$78,137

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$81,586
2024	$79,394
2025	$78,137
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Dining Director

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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