Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary in Houston, TX
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $26,730 a year — 14% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $23,622 take-home, or $1,969 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary in Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,063
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,657
- Medicare (1.45%)$388
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$23,622
Marginal rate: 10% federal + 0.00% 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 Houston, TX
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $16,080 | $7.73 | $14,850 | $1,237 |
| 25th percentile | $22,650 | $10.89 | $20,262 | $1,689 |
| Median (50th) | $26,730 | $12.85 | $23,622 | $1,969 |
| 75th percentile | $29,060 | $13.97 | $25,530 | $2,127 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $36,200 | $17.40 | $31,267 | $2,606 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $26,730 buys in Houston, TX
Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop's $23,622 take-home pay has the buying power of $23,951 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 Houston, TX as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.98).
Best-paying cities for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop, adjusted for cost of living
Houston, TX ranks #37 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 |
| 37 | Houston, TX | $26,730 | $23,622 | $23,951 |
*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 Texas
- Austin, TX — $29,130
- San Antonio, TX — $27,640
- Dallas, TX — $28,890
Frequently asked questions
How much does a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop make in Houston, TX?
The median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $26,730 a year, or about $12.85 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $22,650 and $29,060.
What is a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?
On the median $26,730 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $23,622 a year ($1,969 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop?
Pay here is 14% below the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $23,951 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #37 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 Houston, TX?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 67% 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 Houston, TX
- Chef and Head Cook — $45,400
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $36,410
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $35,660
- Cooks, Restaurant — $35,050
- Food Preparation Worker — $35,020
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $29,050
- Dishwasher — $28,600
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,570
- Cooks, Fast Food — $23,090
- Bartender — $22,770
- Waiter and Waitress — $22,080
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $21,850