Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $32,220 a year — 5% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $27,080 take-home, or $2,257 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,686
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,998
- Medicare (1.45%)$467
- Pennsylvania income tax$989
- Take-home pay$27,080
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $1,205 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $25,875 ($2,156 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. 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 →
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper pay by experience in Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $18,680 | $8.98 | $16,420 | $1,368 |
| 25th percentile | $28,050 | $13.49 | $23,848 | $1,987 |
| Median (50th) | $32,220 | $15.49 | $27,080 | $2,257 |
| 75th percentile | $36,000 | $17.31 | $30,001 | $2,500 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $39,160 | $18.83 | $32,443 | $2,704 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $32,220 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper's $27,080 take-home pay has the buying power of $26,405 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 about as common in Philadelphia, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.09).
Best-paying cities for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #25 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 |
| 25 | Philadelphia, PA | $32,220 | $27,080 | $26,405 |
*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 Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh, PA — $28,540
Frequently asked questions
How much does a dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper make in Philadelphia, PA?
The median dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $32,220 a year, or about $15.49 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $28,050 and $36,000.
What is a dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $32,220 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $27,080 a year ($2,257 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $989 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper?
Pay here is 5% below the national median of $33,980. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $26,405 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #25 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 Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 67% 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 Philadelphia, PA
- Chef and Head Cook — $65,680
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $46,580
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $38,870
- Cooks, Restaurant — $38,270
- Waiter and Waitress — $36,570
- Bartender — $36,040
- Food Preparation Worker — $34,560
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $33,300
- Dishwasher — $33,270
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $32,220
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $32,220
- Cooks, Fast Food — $32,220