The average wage for a host and hostess in the United States is around $10.69 per hour.
Avg Wage
Hosts and hostesses earn an average hourly wage of $10.69.
Salaries typically start from $8.15 per hour and go up to $14.02 per hour.
66% below national average Updated in 2019
Host and hostess earnings by seniority
Top-level host and hostess earnings begin at:
$14.02 per hour
$29,168 per year
Senior-level host and hostess earnings begin at:
$12.33 per hour
$25,648 per year
Mid-level host and hostess earnings begin at:
$10.69 per hour
$22,233 per year
Junior-level host and hostess earnings begin at:
$9.27 per hour
$19,272 per year
Starting level host and hostess earnings begin at:
$8.15 per hour
$16,947 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Host and hostess salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $29,611 |
| District of Columbia | $28,660 |
| Massachusetts | $26,860 |
| New York | $25,720 |
| Connecticut | $25,700 |
| California | $25,509 |
| Colorado | $25,450 |
| Washington | $25,310 |
| Vermont | $24,420 |
| New Jersey | $24,280 |
| Nevada | $24,200 |
| Maryland | $24,050 |
| Oregon | $24,050 |
| Rhode Island | $23,580 |
| Illinois | $23,560 |
| Minnesota | $23,400 |
| Florida | $23,188 |
| Nebraska | $22,760 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $22,710 |
| New Hampshire | $22,520 |
| Michigan | $22,010 |
| Maine | $21,930 |
| Alabama | $21,700 |
| North Dakota | $21,490 |
| Arizona | $21,246 |
| Texas | $21,220 |
| South Dakota | $20,960 |
| Utah | $20,290 |
| Wyoming | $20,280 |
| Virginia | $20,200 |
| Alaska | $20,096 |
| Missouri | $19,980 |
| Indiana | $19,917 |
| Pennsylvania | $19,864 |
| Louisiana | $19,840 |
| Idaho | $19,797 |
| West Virginia | $19,680 |
| Kentucky | $19,667 |
| Arkansas | $19,590 |
| New Mexico | $19,560 |
| Ohio | $19,490 |
| Iowa | $19,483 |
| South Carolina | $19,460 |
| Delaware | $19,370 |
| Wisconsin | $19,350 |
| Guam | $19,170 |
| Montana | $19,030 |
| Tennessee | $19,020 |
| North Carolina | $18,960 |
| Georgia | $18,955 |
| Oklahoma | $18,780 |
| Kansas | $18,610 |
| Mississippi | $18,560 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,010 |
How do host and hostess salaries compare to similar careers?
Hosts and hostesses earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than housekeeping cleaners but more than cashiers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Housekeeping cleaner salary | $25K |
| Barista salary | $25K |
| Retail salesperson salary | $23K |
| Food preparation worker salary | $23K |
| Restaurant cook salary | $22K |
| Host and hostess salary | $22K |
| Lifeguard salary | $21K |
| Amusement attendant salary | $21K |
| Cashier salary | $21K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)