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Host/hostess salary
Average host/hostess salary
$12.6
Understanding Host/Hostess Salaries
The salary for a host/hostess varies based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the type of establishment. As of October 2025, the average annual salary stands at $26,207, with wages typically ranging from $22,000 to $30,000. In high-demand areas, host/hostesses may earn significantly more.
Factors Affecting Salary
- Location: Urban centers often provide higher wages due to the cost of living and demand for hospitality services.
- Experience: Entry-level positions start lower, but with experience, salaries can increase substantially.
- Establishment Type: Upscale restaurants and hotels may offer higher pay compared to casual dining venues.
Highest Paying Locations
Some cities, such as New York and San Francisco, consistently rank among the highest for host/hostess salaries. Exploring opportunities in these areas can lead to better compensation and career advancement options.
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Where can a Host/Hostess earn more?
Average host/hostess salary by state
The average host/hostess salary in Hawaii, California, and Arizona are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average host/hostess salary states are Mississippi, Alaska, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for host/hostesses
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $26,016 | $12.51 |
| 2 | Arizona | $26,042 | $12.52 |
| 3 | Ohio | $23,919 | $11.50 |
| 4 | Arkansas | $23,799 | $11.44 |
| 5 | Tennessee | $23,791 | $11.44 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $23,829 | $11.46 |
| 7 | Texas | $24,272 | $11.67 |
| 8 | Indiana | $23,829 | $11.46 |
| 9 | California | $26,738 | $12.85 |
| 10 | Kentucky | $23,778 | $11.43 |
| 11 | Louisiana | $23,906 | $11.49 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $28,542 | $13.72 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $24,768 | $11.91 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $24,188 | $11.63 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $23,902 | $11.49 |
| 16 | Florida | $23,795 | $11.44 |
| 17 | Alabama | $23,747 | $11.42 |
| 18 | Oregon | $25,393 | $12.21 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $23,777 | $11.43 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $24,114 | $11.59 |
| 21 | Utah | $24,764 | $11.91 |
| 22 | Michigan | $24,074 | $11.57 |
| 23 | Colorado | $24,090 | $11.58 |
| 24 | Idaho | $24,700 | $11.88 |
| 25 | Delaware | $24,087 | $11.58 |
| 26 | Washington | $24,831 | $11.94 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $23,725 | $11.41 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $24,035 | $11.56 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $24,376 | $11.72 |
| 30 | Kansas | $23,869 | $11.48 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $23,933 | $11.51 |
| 32 | Iowa | $23,919 | $11.50 |
| 33 | Rhode Island | $24,784 | $11.92 |
| 34 | New York | $24,458 | $11.76 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $23,987 | $11.53 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $23,884 | $11.48 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $23,738 | $11.41 |
| 38 | Missouri | $23,831 | $11.46 |
| 39 | Illinois | $23,897 | $11.49 |
| 40 | Connecticut | $24,677 | $11.86 |
| 41 | Montana | $24,075 | $11.57 |
| 42 | Maryland | $23,972 | $11.53 |
| 43 | Virginia | $23,846 | $11.46 |
| 44 | Georgia | $23,755 | $11.42 |
| 45 | Minnesota | $24,070 | $11.57 |
| 46 | New Hampshire | $24,856 | $11.95 |
| 47 | Alaska | $23,763 | $11.42 |
| 48 | Maine | $24,878 | $11.96 |
| 49 | Vermont | $24,841 | $11.94 |
| 50 | District of Columbia | $23,946 | $11.51 |
| 51 | Massachusetts | $24,802 | $11.92 |
Highest paying cities for host/hostesses
The highest-paying cities for host/hostesses are Urban Honolulu, HI, San Francisco, CA, and Las Vegas, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $28,590 | $13.75 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $26,896 | $12.93 |
| 3 | Las Vegas, NV | $26,012 | $12.51 |
| 4 | Phoenix, AZ | $25,994 | $12.50 |
| 5 | Washington, UT | $25,547 | $12.28 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $25,283 | $12.16 |
| 7 | Portland, ME | $24,883 | $11.96 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $24,829 | $11.94 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $24,825 | $11.94 |
| 10 | Albuquerque, NM | $24,741 | $11.89 |
| 11 | New York, NY | $24,463 | $11.76 |
| 12 | San Antonio, TX | $24,417 | $11.74 |
| 13 | Philadelphia, PA | $24,197 | $11.63 |
| 14 | Colorado Springs, CO | $24,120 | $11.60 |
| 15 | Baltimore, MD | $23,993 | $11.54 |
| 16 | Madison, WI | $23,984 | $11.53 |
| 17 | Washington, DC | $23,930 | $11.50 |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $23,927 | $11.50 |
| 19 | Omaha, NE | $23,883 | $11.48 |
| 20 | New Orleans, LA | $23,875 | $11.48 |
Host/Hostesses are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Host/hostess salary details
A host/hostess's salary ranges from $20,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $33,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a host/hostess's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 75th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| Average | $26,207 | $2,184 | $13 |
| 25th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
| 10th Percentile | $20,000 | $1,667 | $10 |
Highest paying host/hostess jobs
The highest paying types of host/hostesses are maitre d, preacher, and host coordinator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Runner | $25,536 | $2,128 | $12.28 | 240,853 |
| Front Desk Host | $31,080 | $2,590 | $14.94 | 69,194 |
| Party Host | $25,777 | $2,148 | $12.39 | 10,198 |
| Event Host | $29,232 | $2,436 | $14.05 | 15,092 |
| Server And Hostess | $28,020 | $2,335 | $13.47 | 97,109 |
| Cashier/Host | $24,581 | $2,048 | $11.82 | 131,740 |
Top companies hiring host/hostesses now:
Which companies pay host/hostesses the most?
Host/hostess salaries at Cisco and St. Petersburg Yacht Club are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average host/hostess salary at companies like Rich Products and Lexington Country Club are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cisco | $37,560 | $18.06 |
| 2 | St. Petersburg Yacht Club | $36,933 | $17.76 |
| 3 | Rich Products | $36,643 | $17.62 |
| 4 | Lexington Country Club | $35,709 | $17.17 |
| 5 | First Book | $34,388 | $16.53 |
| 6 | Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants | $33,905 | $16.30 |
| 7 | HEI Hotels & Resorts | $33,836 | $16.27 |
| 8 | On The Border | $33,572 | $16.14 |
| 9 | Aspen Snowmass | $33,313 | $16.02 |
| 10 | Anthony | $33,197 | $15.96 |
| 11 | dnata | $33,099 | $15.91 |
| 12 | Hyatt Hotels | $32,981 | $15.86 |
| 13 | Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts | $32,824 | $15.78 |
| 14 | Scottsdale Insurance | $32,787 | $15.76 |
| 15 | Wyndham Hotels & Resorts | $32,767 | $15.75 |
| 16 | Skokie Country Club | $32,600 | $15.67 |
| 17 | Il Fornaio | $32,590 | $15.67 |
| 18 | HUB International | $32,473 | $15.61 |
| 19 | bartaco | $32,387 | $15.57 |
| 20 | Jeff Ruby | $32,256 | $15.51 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Host/hostess salary trends
The average host/hostess salary has risen by $5,838 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average host/hostess earned $20,369 annually, but today, they earn $26,207 a year. That works out to a 20% change in pay for host/hostesses over the last decade.
Compare host/hostess salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average host/hostess salary over time
Compare host/hostess salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Host/hostess salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $26,200 | $12.60 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $25,300 | $12.18 | +4.0% |
| 2023 | $24,300 | $11.69 | +5.6% |
| 2022 | $23,000 | $11.04 | +4.5% |
| 2021 | $21,900 | $10.54 | +4.0% |
Recently added host/hostess salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonesta Hotels | Host/Hostess | Los Angeles, CA | 06/30/2025 | $54,262 |
| Kisco Senior Living | Host/Hostess | Gaithersburg, MD | 06/29/2025 | $37,566 |
| On The Border | Restaurant Host-Hostess | Bedford, TX | 06/29/2025 | $31,305 |
| On The Border | Restaurant Host-Hostess | Greenville, SC | 06/29/2025 | $31,305 |
| Riboli Family Wines | Host/Hostess | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $35,479 |
| Hilton | Restaurant Host/Hostess-Hilton LA Jolla Torrey Pines | San Diego, CA | 06/28/2025 | $37,566 |
| Hilton Worldwide | Host/Hostess, Spencer's Restaurant-Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center | Seattle, WA | 06/28/2025 | $52,718 |
| Willow Valley Retirement Communities | Host/Hostess | Willow Street, PA | 06/28/2025 | $32,349 |
| Perkins | Host/Hostess | Bloomington, MN | 06/28/2025 | $29,218 |
| North Italia | Restaurant Host/Hostess | Meridian, ID | 06/28/2025 | $25,044 |
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