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The average salary for a Banquet Captain in the United States is $34,428 annually, translating to about $17 per hour. Salaries may differ based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the type of establishment. For example, banquet captains in high-demand areas or upscale venues often earn more.
Understanding where banquet captains earn the most can guide your job search. States like California and New York typically offer higher salaries due to the higher cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
Entry-level positions may start at around $16.55 per hour, while those with several years of experience can command significantly higher wages. As skill and responsibility increase, so does earning potential.
In addition to salary, banquet captains often have paths to advancement in management roles within hospitality. Networking, continued education, and gaining experience in diverse venues can further enhance career prospects.
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The average banquet captain salary in Hawaii, New York, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average banquet captain salary states are Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $38,779 | $18.64 |
| 2 | Colorado | $39,816 | $19.14 |
| 3 | Texas | $37,356 | $17.96 |
| 4 | Nevada | $36,106 | $17.36 |
| 5 | Michigan | $37,088 | $17.83 |
| 6 | New York | $44,832 | $21.55 |
| 7 | Washington | $40,827 | $19.63 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $47,710 | $22.94 |
| 9 | California | $42,185 | $20.28 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $38,454 | $18.49 |
| 11 | Florida | $36,097 | $17.35 |
| 12 | Arizona | $35,610 | $17.12 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $38,090 | $18.31 |
| 14 | Delaware | $37,730 | $18.14 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $37,595 | $18.07 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $37,511 | $18.03 |
| 17 | Montana | $34,426 | $16.55 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $33,750 | $16.23 |
| 19 | Oklahoma | $32,405 | $15.58 |
| 20 | Iowa | $33,352 | $16.03 |
| 21 | Utah | $33,293 | $16.01 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $34,743 | $16.70 |
| 23 | Idaho | $36,041 | $17.33 |
| 24 | Tennessee | $33,053 | $15.89 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $37,232 | $17.90 |
| 26 | Ohio | $32,423 | $15.59 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $34,173 | $16.43 |
| 28 | Alaska | $34,972 | $16.81 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $34,106 | $16.40 |
| 30 | Oregon | $36,222 | $17.41 |
| 31 | Massachusetts | $36,476 | $17.54 |
| 32 | Indiana | $32,439 | $15.60 |
| 33 | Virginia | $33,946 | $16.32 |
| 34 | Maryland | $35,558 | $17.10 |
| 35 | Georgia | $31,524 | $15.16 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $31,360 | $15.08 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | $32,702 | $15.72 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $31,776 | $15.28 |
| 39 | Maine | $32,063 | $15.41 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $30,090 | $14.47 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $31,053 | $14.93 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $29,827 | $14.34 |
| 43 | Kansas | $32,386 | $15.57 |
| 44 | Vermont | $33,266 | $15.99 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $31,428 | $15.11 |
| 46 | Missouri | $31,264 | $15.03 |
| 47 | Wisconsin | $28,975 | $13.93 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $31,286 | $15.04 |
| 49 | Alabama | $29,760 | $14.31 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $29,957 | $14.40 |
| 51 | Illinois | $31,301 | $15.05 |
The highest-paying cities for banquet captains are Buffalo, NY, San Diego, CA, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buffalo, NY | $44,177 | $21.24 |
| 2 | San Diego, CA | $42,884 | $20.62 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $40,973 | $19.70 |
| 4 | Boulder, CO | $39,853 | $19.16 |
| 5 | San Antonio, TX | $38,247 | $18.39 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $37,209 | $17.89 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $36,460 | $17.53 |
| 8 | Portland, OR | $36,060 | $17.34 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $35,516 | $17.07 |
| 10 | Omaha, NE | $34,678 | $16.67 |
| 11 | Bozeman, MT | $34,556 | $16.61 |
| 12 | Springfield, VA | $34,117 | $16.40 |
| 13 | Raleigh, NC | $33,889 | $16.29 |
| 14 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $33,293 | $16.01 |
| 15 | Cincinnati, OH | $32,367 | $15.56 |
| 16 | Philadelphia, PA | $31,861 | $15.32 |
| 17 | Alpharetta, GA | $31,647 | $15.21 |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $31,339 | $15.07 |
| 19 | Springfield, MO | $31,221 | $15.01 |
| 20 | New Orleans, LA | $29,989 | $14.42 |
A banquet captain's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $41,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 75th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| Average | $34,428 | $2,869 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
The highest paying types of banquet captains are banquet manager, captain, and chef/kitchen manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Room Service Server | $26,717 | $2,226 | $12.84 | 144,551 |
| Fine Dining Server | $32,140 | $2,678 | $15.45 | 77,549 |
| Front Of House Manager | $41,163 | $3,430 | $19.79 | 221,210 |
| Chef/Kitchen Manager | $49,415 | $4,118 | $23.76 | 38,242 |
| Cook Supervisor | $41,118 | $3,426 | $19.77 | 183,387 |
| Shift Leader | $33,841 | $2,820 | $16.27 | 229,485 |
Top companies hiring banquet captains now:
Banquet captain salaries at Aspen Snowmass and The Culinary Institute of America are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average banquet captain salary at companies like University of Colorado Boulder and Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aspen Snowmass | $42,000 | $20.19 |
| 2 | The Culinary Institute of America | $40,517 | $19.48 |
| 3 | University of Colorado Boulder | $39,745 | $19.11 |
| 4 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $38,831 | $18.67 |
| 5 | Rich Products | $38,708 | $18.61 |
| 6 | SMG Holdings | $38,482 | $18.50 |
| 7 | Sentry | $38,137 | $18.34 |
| 8 | Kohler Co. | $38,029 | $18.28 |
| 9 | Osage Casino | $37,939 | $18.24 |
| 10 | Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City | $37,415 | $17.99 |
| 11 | University of Washington | $37,207 | $17.89 |
| 12 | Brinker International | $36,892 | $17.74 |
| 13 | Sycuan Casino Resort | $36,804 | $17.69 |
| 14 | Georgia World Congress Center Authority | $36,558 | $17.58 |
| 15 | POWDR | $36,548 | $17.57 |
| 16 | Remote | $36,311 | $17.46 |
| 17 | HEI Hotels & Resorts | $36,254 | $17.43 |
| 18 | Vacasa | $36,245 | $17.43 |
| 19 | Benchmark Hospitally | $36,244 | $17.43 |
| 20 | Quality Oil | $36,243 | $17.42 |
The average banquet captain salary has risen by $4,999 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average banquet captain earned $29,429 annually, but today, they earn $34,428 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for banquet captains over the last decade.
Compare banquet captain salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare banquet captain salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,400 | $16.55 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $33,300 | $15.99 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $32,300 | $15.54 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | $31,800 | $15.30 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $31,400 | $15.07 | +3.6% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonesta Hotels | Banquet Captain | Denver, CO | 06/30/2025 | $50,088 |
| Salamander Hospitality, LLC | Banquet Captain | Aspen, CO | 06/29/2025 | $81,393 |
| Surfsand Resort-Cannon Beach | Banquet Captain | Cannon Beach, OR | 06/29/2025 | $43,827 |
| Sodexo | Banquet Captain | Troy, NY | 06/28/2025 | $43,827 |
| Peopleready | Seasonal Banquet Captain | Springfield, MA | 06/28/2025 | $43,827 |
| Sodexo S A | Banquet Captain | Troy, NY | 06/28/2025 | $43,827 |
| Next Generation Recruitment and Staffing Agency | Banquet Captain | Kansas City, MO | 06/28/2025 | $37,566 |
| Squaxin Island Gaming Enterprise | Banquet Captain | Shelton, WA | 06/28/2025 | $26,088 |
| Next Generation Recruitment and Staffing Agency | Banquet Captain | Overland Park, KS | 06/28/2025 | $37,566 |
| McConnell Golf | Banquet Captain | Country Club of Asheville | Asheville, NC | 06/27/2025 | $31,305 |
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