Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper Salary in Columbus, OH
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers in the Columbus, OH metro area earn a median $30,000 a year — 12% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $26,242 take-home, or $2,187 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper salary in Columbus, OH. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,420
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,860
- Medicare (1.45%)$435
- Ohio income tax$43
- Take-home pay$26,242
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 2.75% state
Living in Columbus? City residents also pay Columbus’s city income tax — about $750 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $25,492 ($2,124 a month). Choose “Columbus” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper pay by experience in Columbus, OH
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $22,730 | $10.93 | $20,328 | $1,694 |
| 25th percentile | $27,110 | $13.03 | $23,935 | $1,995 |
| Median (50th) | $30,000 | $14.42 | $26,242 | $2,187 |
| 75th percentile | $35,370 | $17.00 | $30,409 | $2,534 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $38,580 | $18.55 | $32,900 | $2,742 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Ohio resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $30,000 buys in Columbus, OH
Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 12% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper's $26,242 take-home pay has the buying power of $27,488 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper jobs are less concentrated in Columbus, OH than nationally (location quotient 0.74), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers, adjusted for cost of living
Columbus, OH ranks #15 of 41 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $50,200 | $40,217 | $36,245 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $45,120 | $38,434 | $34,584 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $41,710 | $34,494 | $31,238 |
| 4 | Buffalo, NY | $35,140 | $29,114 | $30,377 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | $36,960 | $31,162 | $30,162 |
| 6 | Jacksonville, FL | $34,290 | $29,732 | $29,886 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $37,540 | $30,924 | $29,596 |
| 8 | Denver, CO | $36,880 | $30,899 | $29,210 |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $30,000 | $26,242 | $27,488 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 41 metros →
About the job: dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
Facilitate food service. Clean tables; remove dirty dishes; replace soiled table linens; set tables; replenish supply of clean linens, silverware, glassware, and dishes; supply service bar with food; and serve items such as water, condiments, and coffee to patrons.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +5.3% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper salaries elsewhere in Ohio
- Cleveland, OH — $29,400
- Cincinnati, OH — $29,890
Frequently asked questions
How much does a dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper make in Columbus, OH?
The median dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper salary in the Columbus, OH metro area is $30,000 a year, or about $14.42 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $27,110 and $35,370.
What is a dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper’s take-home pay in Columbus, OH?
On the median $30,000 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $26,242 a year ($2,187 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $43 in Ohio taxes in 2026.
Is Columbus, OH a good place to work as a dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper?
Pay here is 12% below the national median of $33,980. Local prices are 4.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $27,488 would in a typical U.S. city. Columbus, OH ranks #15 of 41 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper afford rent in Columbus, OH?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Columbus, OH is $1,179 a month ($1,416 for two bedrooms) — 54% of a median dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Columbus, OH
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $38,100
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $37,790
- Waiter and Waitress — $37,490
- Bartender — $37,000
- Food Preparation Worker — $36,930
- Cooks, Restaurant — $36,590
- Dishwasher — $33,690
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $32,250
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $28,670
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $27,650