Dining Director Salary in the United States

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

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Dining Director in the United States is $111,369 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): $140,990
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $102,363 to $126,874
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $94,164
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View as table View as graph 25% $102,363 10% $94,164 90% $140,990 75% $126,874 $111,369 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Dining Director Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $126,874 $10,573 $2,440 $61
Average $111,369 $9,281 $2,142 $54
25th Percentile $102,363 $8,530 $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: $123,308.
  • California: $122,840.
  • Massachusetts: $121,203.

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: $140,470
  • San Francisco: $138,932
  • Oakland: $136,004

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
 $115,824
4%
Listening
 $115,824
4%
Initiative
 $115,824
4%
Merchandising
 $115,824
4%
Verbal Communication
 $115,824
4%
Commitment
 $115,824
4%
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Dining Director Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Dining Director roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Hospitality & Leisure and Retail & Wholesale sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Dining Director positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Dining Director as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Dining Director

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Hospitality & Leisure$144,780$70.030%
Retail & Wholesale$122,506$59.010%

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
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%
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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.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$102,363
Average $111,369/year
$126,874
$8,530
Average $9,281/month
$10,573
$1,969
Average $2,142/week
$2,440
$49
Average $54/hour
$61
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $126,874 $10,573 $2,440 $61
Average $111,369 $9,281 $2,142 $54
25th Percentile $102,363 $8,530 $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

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