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The differences between baristas and servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a server has an average salary of $29,901, which is higher than the $29,528 average annual salary of a barista.
The top three skills for a barista include cash handling, food products and punctuality. The most important skills for a server are wine, customer service, and guest satisfaction.
| Barista | Server | |
| Yearly salary | $29,528 | $29,901 |
| Hourly rate | $14.20 | $14.38 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 93,290 | 162,734 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 23 | 28 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Baristas are employees who work on assembling drinks available in the restaurant cafe. They are expected to be familiar with the menu offerings related to non-alcoholic beverages, such as coffee, tea, or chocolate, available in the restaurant. They are also expected to be familiar with the ingredients needed to make such drinks. They are in charge of managing the inventory and ensuring that the ingredients needed are readily available. Baristas are also expected to be able to make drinks in a quick yet accurate manner.
A server is a restaurant employee assigned to the main dining area of the restaurant to primarily attend to the customer's needs. Servers assist guests to their tables, wait for the guests to be ready with their orders, and take the guests' orders. They should be knowledgeable about the restaurant's offerings since they should be able to answer any questions asked by the guests regarding the menu. They communicate the guests' orders to the kitchen crew and serve the orders once they are ready. Once the guests are finished eating, servers provide their bills upon their request and clean up the table when they leave. Servers should have excellent customer service skills and hospitality management skills.
Baristas and servers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Barista | Server | |
| Average salary | $29,528 | $29,901 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $38,000 | Between $21,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Portland, ME | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Maine | New York |
| Best paying company | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital | Dell |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a barista and a server in terms of educational background:
| Barista | Server | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between baristas' and servers' demographics:
| Barista | Server | |
| Average age | 23 | 28 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.3% Female, 69.7% | Male, 32.0% Female, 68.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 8.2% White, 54.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |