Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary in Denver, CO
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area earn a median $36,340 a year — 16% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,489 take-home, or $2,541 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary in Denver, CO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,181
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,253
- Medicare (1.45%)$527
- Colorado income tax$891
- Take-home pay$30,489
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.40% 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 Denver, CO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $30,800 | $14.81 | $26,281 | $2,190 |
| 25th percentile | $31,260 | $15.03 | $26,630 | $2,219 |
| Median (50th) | $36,340 | $17.47 | $30,489 | $2,541 |
| 75th percentile | $42,860 | $20.61 | $35,441 | $2,953 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $58,360 | $28.06 | $47,213 | $3,934 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Colorado resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,340 buys in Denver, CO
Prices in Denver, CO are 5.8% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.47× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop's $30,489 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,822 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop jobs are about as common in Denver, CO as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.19).
Best-paying cities for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop, adjusted for cost of living
Denver, CO ranks #3 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 |
*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 Denver, CO?
The median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area is $36,340 a year, or about $17.47 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $31,260 and $42,860.
What is a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop’s take-home pay in Denver, CO?
On the median $36,340 salary, a single filer living in Colorado takes home about $30,489 a year ($2,541 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $891 in Colorado taxes in 2026.
Is Denver, CO a good place to work as a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop?
Pay here is 16% above the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 5.8% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,822 would in a typical U.S. city. Denver, CO ranks #3 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 Denver, CO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Denver, CO is $1,754 a month ($2,089 for two bedrooms) — 69% 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 Denver, CO
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $52,520
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $45,070
- Cooks, Restaurant — $44,370
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $39,850
- Waiter and Waitress — $39,650
- Food Preparation Worker — $39,470
- Dishwasher — $38,710
- Cooks, Fast Food — $38,530
- Bartender — $37,180
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $37,070
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $36,880