Median real hourly wages of restaurant workers, by occupation and demographic group, 2014
| Cashiers and counter attendants | Dishwashers | Food preparation workers | Hosts and hostesses | Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers (e.g., bussers) | Cooks | Waiters and waitresses | First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers | Chefs and head cooks | Bartenders | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall median hourly wage | $8.23 | $8.62 | $8.95 | $9.00 | $9.13 | $9.38 | $10.15 | $11.49 | $12.34 | $12.68 | $15.42 |
| Gender | |||||||||||
| Female | $8.21 | $8.37 | $8.64 | $9.00 | $9.13 | $8.97 | $10.03 | $10.91 | $12.00 | $12.17 | $14.09 |
| Male | $8.25 | $8.62 | $9.13 | $9.13 | $9.09 | $9.77 | $10.50 | $12.34 | $12.53 | $13.88 | $17.00 |
| Nativity | |||||||||||
| U.S. born | $8.12 | $8.48 | $8.62 | $8.91 | $9.06 | $9.13 | $10.15 | $11.37 | $13.27 | $12.70 | $15.38 |
| Naturalized U.S. citizen | $9.54 |
** |
$10.15 | ** | ** | $10.28 | $11.86 | $11.86 | $11.59 | ** | $17.31 |
| Non-naturalized immigrant | $8.74 | $8.88 | $9.77 | ** | $9.19 | $9.86 | $10.00 | $12.34 | $11.00 | $11.41 | $14.20 |
| Race/ethnicity | |||||||||||
| White, non-Hispanic | $8.12 | $8.50 | $8.62 | $8.88 | $9.00 | $9.13 | $10.28 | $11.84 | $13.80 | $12.79 | $16.00 |
| Black, non-Hispanic | $8.00 | $8.88 | $8.38 | $9.50 | ** | $9.25 | $9.25 | $10.25 | ** | ** | $13.95 |
| Hispanic, any race | $8.47 | $8.74 | $9.19 | $9.19 | $9.09 | $9.64 | $9.89 | $11.33 | $10.85 | $12.99 | $13.43 |
| Asian | $8.74 | ** | $10.24 | $10.14 | ** | $10.00 | $11.13 | $11.84 | $11.84 | ** | $17.00 |
| Other | $8.12 | ** | $8.52 | ** | ** | $9.67 | $10.03 | ** | ** | $11.04 | ** |
| Education | |||||||||||
| Not a high school graduate | $7.89 | $8.50 | $8.25 | $8.23 | $8.62 | $8.92 | $8.50 | $10.11 | ** | $10.21 | $11.37 |
| High school graduate | $8.48 | $8.58 | $8.88 | $9.00 | $9.13 | $9.83 | $10.10 | $11.13 | $12.17 | $11.51 | $13.84 |
| Some college | $8.50 | $8.88 | $9.13 | $9.13 | $9.94 | $9.86 | $10.43 | $11.25 | $13.53 | $13.01 | $15.07 |
| Bachelor’s degree | $10.85 | ** | $10.82 | $11.84 | ** | $10.80 | $13.03 | $17.30 | $15.20 | $16.23 | $20.87 |
| Advanced degree | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | $12.42 | ** | ** | ** | $24.72 |
| Age | |||||||||||
| 16–24 | $8.12 | $8.31 | $8.25 | $8.74 | $8.78 | $8.50 | $9.40 | $9.59 | ** | $11.41 | $10.85 |
| 25–54 | $9.00 | $9.00 | $9.75 | $10.00 | $10.00 | $10.00 | $11.22 | $12.50 | $13.24 | $13.64 | $16.39 |
| 55+ | $9.35 | $8.88 | $9.79 | ** | ** | $10.15 | $10.92 | $13.84 | ** | $11.11 | $19.99 |
| Union coverage | |||||||||||
| Union | $8.50 | ** | $10.15 | ** | ** | $12.17 | $11.86 | ** | ** | ** | $18.32 |
| Non-union | $8.23 | $8.62 | $8.88 | $9.00 | $9.11 | $9.37 | $10.15 | $11.41 | $12.34 | $12.68 | $15.38 |
** Indicates limited sample size
Note: To ensure sufficient sample sizes, this table draws from pooled 2011Q3–2014Q2 microdata. Wage data include tips.
Source: EPI analysis of Current Population Survey Outgoing Rotation Group microdata