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SOC 35-9031·Food Preparation & Serving
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
Median wage
$38,126
10-yr outlook
+21.1%by 2032
Openings / year
3,605
Workers in NY
17,350
How pay grows with experience
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — typical pay by experience
Annual wages statewide: starting out, typical (median), and experienced.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Starting out (entry) | $33,681 |
| Median (typical) | $38,126 |
| Experienced | $46,501 |
Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (NYSDOL / U.S. BLS via data.ny.gov)
Where it pays most across New York
Median pay for this occupation by region. Select a region for its full profile.
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — median pay by region
Regional median annual wage, highest first.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| New York City | $39,502 |
| Hudson Valley | $38,543 |
| Long Island | $37,555 |
| Finger Lakes | $37,234 |
| North Country | $37,170 |
| Capital Region | $36,254 |
| Central New York | $36,088 |
| Western New York | $35,923 |
| Southern Tier | $35,921 |
| Mohawk Valley | $35,200 |
Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (NYSDOL / U.S. BLS via data.ny.gov)
A realistic next step
Higher-paying roles in the same field
Jobs in the same field (Food Preparation & Serving) that pay more than this one. A plain “same field, higher pay” guide — not a skills-match score.
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant$39,090 median (+$964) · +23.1% by 2032
- Cooks, Restaurant$41,024 median (+$2,898) · +20.5% by 2032
- Cooks, All Other$43,414 median (+$5,288)
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$46,442 median (+$8,316) · +22.1% by 2032
- Waiters and Waitresses$47,783 median (+$9,657) · +12.2% by 2032
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$48,004 median (+$9,878) · +20.1% by 2032
Ways in
Lower-paying roles in the same field
Jobs in the same field (Food Preparation & Serving) that pay less than this one — often earlier-career roles or a way in.
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$37,826 median (−$300) · +21.4% by 2032
- Food Preparation Workers$37,049 median (−$1,077) · +9.4% by 2032
- Dishwashers$36,415 median (−$1,711) · +11.6% by 2032
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$36,270 median (−$1,856) · +17.9% by 2032
- Cooks, Fast Food$35,136 median (−$2,990) · +8.6% by 2032
- Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other$34,296 median (−$3,830) · +15.9% by 2032
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