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Catering assistant salary
Average catering assistant salary
$15.43
Understanding Catering Assistant Salaries
The average salary for a Catering Assistant in the United States is approximately $32,101 per year or about $15.43 per hour. Salaries vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and the type of establishment you work for. For instance, catering assistants in metropolitan areas often earn more due to higher living costs and demand for services.
In terms of experience, entry-level positions typically start around $28,000, while those with several years of experience can earn upwards of $40,000. The highest-paying states for catering assistants include California, New York, and Texas, reflecting the concentration of events and catering opportunities in these regions.
Additionally, catering assistants employed by high-end establishments or those who specialize in corporate events may receive higher compensation. As more venues and companies seek quality catering, the demand for skilled catering assistants continues to grow, making this a promising career path.
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Where can a Catering Assistant earn more?
Catering assistant salaries by experience level
Catering assistant salary estimates from across the web
Average catering assistant salary by state
The average catering assistant salary in Hawaii, Washington, and Maine are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average catering assistant salary states are Louisiana, South Dakota, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for catering assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $35,904 | $17.26 |
| 2 | Washington | $37,648 | $18.10 |
| 3 | Maine | $37,046 | $17.81 |
| 4 | Colorado | $35,149 | $16.90 |
| 5 | Nevada | $32,715 | $15.73 |
| 6 | Michigan | $34,204 | $16.44 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $40,802 | $19.62 |
| 8 | Oregon | $35,144 | $16.90 |
| 9 | New York | $35,981 | $17.30 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $33,392 | $16.05 |
| 11 | Alaska | $33,029 | $15.88 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $33,861 | $16.28 |
| 13 | Nebraska | $31,575 | $15.18 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $33,072 | $15.90 |
| 15 | Illinois | $34,833 | $16.75 |
| 16 | Arizona | $32,310 | $15.53 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $32,270 | $15.51 |
| 18 | Iowa | $30,365 | $14.60 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $30,870 | $14.84 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $29,979 | $14.41 |
| 21 | Texas | $31,805 | $15.29 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $39,409 | $18.95 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $30,445 | $14.64 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $30,584 | $14.70 |
| 25 | Utah | $30,141 | $14.49 |
| 26 | California | $36,348 | $17.48 |
| 27 | Delaware | $32,988 | $15.86 |
| 28 | Ohio | $28,519 | $13.71 |
| 29 | Vermont | $31,109 | $14.96 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $29,903 | $14.38 |
| 31 | Missouri | $30,757 | $14.79 |
| 32 | Florida | $28,505 | $13.70 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $29,200 | $14.04 |
| 34 | Indiana | $28,403 | $13.66 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $27,880 | $13.40 |
| 36 | Kansas | $29,546 | $14.20 |
| 37 | Maryland | $31,429 | $15.11 |
| 38 | Virginia | $29,904 | $14.38 |
| 39 | Montana | $26,834 | $12.90 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $28,104 | $13.51 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $26,353 | $12.67 |
| 42 | New Jersey | $29,221 | $14.05 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $29,450 | $14.16 |
| 44 | Idaho | $27,462 | $13.20 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $26,414 | $12.70 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $25,521 | $12.27 |
| 47 | Georgia | $28,292 | $13.60 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $26,274 | $12.63 |
| 49 | North Carolina | $27,462 | $13.20 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $26,527 | $12.75 |
| 51 | Alabama | $23,159 | $11.13 |
Highest paying cities for catering assistants
The highest-paying cities for catering assistants are Washington, DC, Kirkland, WA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $39,476 | $18.98 |
| 2 | Kirkland, WA | $37,647 | $18.10 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $35,974 | $17.30 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $35,019 | $16.84 |
| 5 | Elgin, IL | $34,870 | $16.76 |
| 6 | West Bloomfield, MI | $34,181 | $16.43 |
| 7 | Dartmouth, MA | $33,996 | $16.34 |
| 8 | Newport, RI | $33,425 | $16.07 |
| 9 | Glastonbury, CT | $33,062 | $15.90 |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | $32,329 | $15.54 |
| 11 | Harrisburg, PA | $32,200 | $15.48 |
| 12 | Dallas, TX | $31,682 | $15.23 |
| 13 | Grand Island, NE | $31,608 | $15.20 |
| 14 | Mason City, IA | $30,481 | $14.65 |
| 15 | Provo, UT | $30,127 | $14.48 |
| 16 | Virginia Beach, VA | $29,784 | $14.32 |
| 17 | Pensacola, FL | $29,016 | $13.95 |
| 18 | Cuyahoga Falls, OH | $28,662 | $13.78 |
| 19 | Lafayette, IN | $28,467 | $13.69 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $28,334 | $13.62 |
Catering assistant salary details
A catering assistant's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $38,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a catering assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 75th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| Average | $32,101 | $2,675 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
Highest paying catering assistant jobs
The highest paying types of catering assistants are chef/catering, assistant, and catering coordinator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Runner | $25,536 | $2,128 | $12.28 | 240,853 |
| Food Server | $25,209 | $2,101 | $12.12 | 125,455 |
| Room Service Server | $26,717 | $2,226 | $12.84 | 144,551 |
| Food Service Worker | $28,753 | $2,396 | $13.82 | 169,323 |
| Restaurant Server | $24,558 | $2,047 | $11.81 | 141,250 |
| Waitstaff | $25,104 | $2,092 | $12.07 | 130,467 |
Top companies hiring catering assistants now:
Which companies pay catering assistants the most?
Catering assistant salaries at Massachusetts General Hospital and PLUM are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average catering assistant salary at companies like Eat'n Park and Sundance Mountain Resort are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts General Hospital | $35,822 | $17.22 |
| 2 | PLUM | $34,380 | $16.53 |
| 3 | Eat'n Park | $33,303 | $16.01 |
| 4 | Sundance Mountain Resort | $33,175 | $15.95 |
| 5 | Bashas' | $32,919 | $15.83 |
| 6 | Panera Bread | $32,728 | $15.73 |
| 7 | Live Nation Entertainment | $32,705 | $15.72 |
| 8 | ISS A/S | $32,656 | $15.70 |
| 9 | Catholic Health Initiatives - Colorado | $32,650 | $15.70 |
| 10 | Partners Healthcare Solutions Inc | $32,650 | $15.70 |
| 11 | Blue Crew Holdings LLC | $32,650 | $15.70 |
| 12 | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett | $32,637 | $15.69 |
| 13 | Zingerman's | $32,435 | $15.59 |
| 14 | University of Georgia Small Business Development Center | $32,428 | $15.59 |
| 15 | House of Blues | $32,334 | $15.55 |
| 16 | Marriott International | $32,248 | $15.50 |
| 17 | Compass Group USA | $32,169 | $15.47 |
| 18 | CHI Mercy Health | $31,973 | $15.37 |
| 19 | St. Luke's Health System | $31,953 | $15.36 |
| 20 | Augusta Health | $31,921 | $15.35 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Catering Assistant salary by industry
The average catering assistant salary varies across industries:
- The average catering assistant salary in the manufacturing industry is $33,254, the highest of any industry.
- The average catering assistant salary in the finance industry is $32,372.
- Catering assistants in the retail industry earn an average salary of $31,575, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for catering assistants
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $33,254 | $15.99 |
| 2 | Hospitality | $32,372 | $15.56 |
| 3 | Health Care | $32,317 | $15.54 |
| 4 | Retail | $31,575 | $15.18 |
High paying catering assistant jobs
Catering assistant salary trends
The average catering assistant salary has risen by $8,373 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average catering assistant earned $23,728 annually, but today, they earn $32,101 a year. That works out to a 22% change in pay for catering assistants over the last decade.
Compare catering assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average catering assistant salary over time
Compare catering assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Catering assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $32,100 | $15.43 | +4.9% |
| 2024 | $30,500 | $14.68 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $29,200 | $14.05 | +4.2% |
| 2022 | $28,000 | $13.46 | +5.7% |
| 2021 | $26,400 | $12.69 | +5.9% |
Recently added catering assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass Group | Catering Assistant | Fairfield, CA | 06/22/2025 | $50,422 |
| Utah Valley University | Assistant-Catering Kitchen | Orem, UT | 06/19/2025 | $31,305 |
| Bismarck State College | Catering Assistant (Temp) | Bismarck, ND | 06/13/2025 | $33,392 |
| Compass Group | Catering Assistant | Clayton, NC | 06/07/2025 | $52,154 |
| Bismarck State College | Catering Assistant (Temp) | Bismarck, ND | 05/29/2025 | $33,392 |
| The Good Shepherd Community | Catering Assistant-Sauk Rapids Campus | Sauk Rapids, MN | 05/28/2025 | $33,914 |
| Live Nation Entertainment | Catering Assistant | San Francisco, CA | 05/27/2025 | $56,349 |
| Compass Group | Catering Assistant | Riverview, FL | 05/26/2025 | $52,154 |
| Cardinal Staffing Services | Cafe/Catering Assistant | Bowling Green, OH | 05/16/2025 | $37,566 |
| Compass Group | Catering Assistant | Ione, WA | 05/15/2025 | $57,393 |
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