Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary in Cincinnati, OH
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area earn a median $29,350 a year — 6% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $25,738 take-home, or $2,145 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary in Cincinnati, OH. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,342
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,820
- Medicare (1.45%)$426
- Ohio income tax$25
- Take-home pay$25,738
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 2.75% state
Living in Cincinnati? City residents also pay Cincinnati’s city income tax — about $528 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $25,210 ($2,101 a month). Choose “Cincinnati” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro spans Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
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 Cincinnati, OH
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $22,920 | $11.02 | $20,485 | $1,707 |
| 25th percentile | $25,470 | $12.25 | $22,585 | $1,882 |
| Median (50th) | $29,350 | $14.11 | $25,738 | $2,145 |
| 75th percentile | $34,550 | $16.61 | $29,773 | $2,481 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $37,700 | $18.13 | $32,218 | $2,685 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Ohio resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $29,350 buys in Cincinnati, OH
Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 4.6% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 12% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop's $25,738 take-home pay has the buying power of $26,987 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Cincinnati, OH has 1.2× 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
Cincinnati, OH ranks #15 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 |
| 15 | Cincinnati, OH | $29,350 | $25,738 | $26,987 |
*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.
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop salaries elsewhere in Ohio
- Columbus, OH — $27,650
- Cleveland, OH — $27,060
Frequently asked questions
How much does a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop make in Cincinnati, OH?
The median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area is $29,350 a year, or about $14.11 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $25,470 and $34,550.
What is a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop’s take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH?
On the median $29,350 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $25,738 a year ($2,145 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $25 in Ohio taxes in 2026.
Is Cincinnati, OH a good place to work as a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop?
Pay here is 6% below the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 4.6% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $26,987 would in a typical U.S. city. Cincinnati, OH ranks #15 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 Cincinnati, OH?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Cincinnati, OH is $1,043 a month ($1,342 for two bedrooms) — 49% 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 Cincinnati, OH
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,370
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $37,180
- Waiter and Waitress — $36,530
- Cooks, Restaurant — $36,030
- Food Preparation Worker — $34,320
- Bartender — $34,240
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $32,070
- Dishwasher — $30,740
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $29,890
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $29,720
- Cooks, Fast Food — $28,930