Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary in Atlanta, GA
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area earn a median $28,560 a year — 8% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $24,268 take-home, or $2,022 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary in Atlanta, GA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,247
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,771
- Medicare (1.45%)$414
- Georgia income tax$859
- Take-home pay$24,268
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.19% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop pay by experience in Atlanta, GA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $20,000 | $9.62 | $17,665 | $1,472 |
| 25th percentile | $21,930 | $10.54 | $19,154 | $1,596 |
| Median (50th) | $28,560 | $13.73 | $24,268 | $2,022 |
| 75th percentile | $33,700 | $16.20 | $28,132 | $2,344 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $35,020 | $16.84 | $29,124 | $2,427 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Georgia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $28,560 buys in Atlanta, GA
Prices in Atlanta, GA are 0.1% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.11× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop's $24,268 take-home pay has the buying power of $24,254 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Atlanta, GA has 1.5× the national concentration of hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop, adjusted for cost of living
Atlanta, GA ranks #36 of 37 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland, OR | $43,410 | $34,091 | $32,338 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $38,430 | $33,059 | $29,747 |
| 3 | Denver, CO | $36,340 | $30,489 | $28,822 |
| 4 | Phoenix, AZ | $35,080 | $29,699 | $28,745 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $39,810 | $33,068 | $28,602 |
| 6 | Las Vegas, NV | $32,950 | $28,655 | $28,594 |
| 7 | St. Louis, MO | $31,200 | $26,720 | $28,100 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $36,360 | $30,380 | $27,901 |
| 36 | Atlanta, GA | $28,560 | $24,268 | $24,254 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 37 metros →
About the job: hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
Welcome patrons, seat them at tables or in lounge, and help ensure quality of facilities and service.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +3.4% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop make in Atlanta, GA?
The median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area is $28,560 a year, or about $13.73 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $21,930 and $33,700.
What is a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop’s take-home pay in Atlanta, GA?
On the median $28,560 salary, a single filer living in Georgia takes home about $24,268 a year ($2,022 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $859 in Georgia taxes in 2026.
Is Atlanta, GA a good place to work as a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop?
Pay here is 8% below the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 0.1% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $24,254 would in a typical U.S. city. Atlanta, GA ranks #36 of 37 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop afford rent in Atlanta, GA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Atlanta, GA is $1,646 a month ($1,806 for two bedrooms) — 81% of a median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Atlanta, GA
- Chef and Head Cook — $74,660
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $39,240
- Cooks, Restaurant — $37,230
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $37,080
- Food Preparation Worker — $36,090
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $33,560
- Dishwasher — $31,780
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $29,470
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,780
- Cooks, Fast Food — $26,940
- Bartender — $23,350
- Waiter and Waitress — $18,460