Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary in Durham, NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

Median annual salary $28,160 -7.3% vs national
Median hourly $13.54
10th percentile $18,720
90th percentile $36,300
Employed locally 660
National median $30,380

Compare Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop salary & buying power

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Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
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Durham, NC
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $18,720
    25th
    $22,520
    50th (median)
    $28,160
    75th
    $30,530
    90th
    $36,300

    Durham economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.20% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $81,017 2023 • Census ACS
    Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop salary vs area income 35% Median Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop salary is 65% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $46,250
    Hawaii $43,070
    Urban Honolulu, HI $42,070
    Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $40,150
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $40,000
    Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $38,280

    Nearby metros — Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $38,160
    Anchorage, AK $37,360
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $35,780
    Trenton-Princeton, NJ $33,880
    Grand Junction, CO $33,320
    Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $31,350

    Related occupations in Durham, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers$29,580
    Cooks, Fast Food$28,760
    Waiters and Waitresses$29,780
    Cooks, Restaurant$36,500
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$45,100
    Bartenders$31,980

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop make per hour in Durham?

    The median hourly wage for Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop in Durham, NC is $13.54, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $17.42 or more per hour.

    Is Durham above or below average for Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop salaries?

    The median Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop salary in Durham, NC is 7.3% below the national median of $30,380. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop in Durham?

    Entry-level Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop (10th percentile) earn around $18,720 per year in Durham, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $22,520.