Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper Salary in St. Louis, MO
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn a median $31,930 a year — 6% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $27,272 take-home, or $2,273 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper salary in St. Louis, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,652
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,980
- Medicare (1.45%)$463
- Missouri income tax$563
- Take-home pay$27,272
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.70% state
Living in St. Louis? City residents also pay St. Louis’s Earnings Tax — about $319 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $26,953 ($2,246 a month). Choose “St. Louis” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The St. Louis, MO-IL metro spans Missouri, Illinois. 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 St. Louis, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $28,600 | $13.75 | $24,753 | $2,063 |
| 25th percentile | $28,880 | $13.88 | $24,965 | $2,080 |
| Median (50th) | $31,930 | $15.35 | $27,272 | $2,273 |
| 75th percentile | $38,690 | $18.60 | $32,386 | $2,699 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $39,930 | $19.20 | $33,324 | $2,777 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $31,930 buys in St. Louis, MO
Prices in St. Louis, MO are 4.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper's $27,272 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,681 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
St. Louis, MO has 1.4× the national concentration of dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers, adjusted for cost of living
St. Louis, MO ranks #10 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 |
| 10 | St. Louis, MO | $31,930 | $27,272 | $28,681 |
*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 Missouri
- Kansas City, MO — $30,200
Frequently asked questions
How much does a dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper make in St. Louis, MO?
The median dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper salary in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $31,930 a year, or about $15.35 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $28,880 and $38,690.
What is a dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper’s take-home pay in St. Louis, MO?
On the median $31,930 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $27,272 a year ($2,273 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $563 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is St. Louis, MO a good place to work as a dining room and cafeteria attendant and bartender helper?
Pay here is 6% below the national median of $33,980. Local prices are 4.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,681 would in a typical U.S. city. St. Louis, MO ranks #10 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 St. Louis, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in St. Louis, MO is $989 a month ($1,211 for two bedrooms) — 44% 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 St. Louis, MO
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,520
- Cooks, Restaurant — $37,690
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $36,200
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $34,340
- Food Preparation Worker — $32,400
- Dishwasher — $32,180
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $31,260
- Waiter and Waitress — $31,200
- Bartender — $31,200
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $31,200
- Cooks, Fast Food — $30,860