Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary in Boston, MA
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median $35,140 a year — 13% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $28,878 take-home, or $2,406 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary in Boston, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,037
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,179
- Medicare (1.45%)$510
- Massachusetts income tax$1,537
- Take-home pay$28,878
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro spans Massachusetts, New Hampshire. 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 →
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop pay by experience in Boston, MA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,200 | $15.00 | $25,909 | $2,159 |
| 25th percentile | $31,200 | $15.00 | $25,909 | $2,159 |
| Median (50th) | $35,140 | $16.89 | $28,878 | $2,406 |
| 75th percentile | $36,760 | $17.67 | $30,099 | $2,508 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $42,290 | $20.33 | $34,266 | $2,855 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $35,140 buys in Boston, MA
Prices in Boston, MA are 8.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.48× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop's $28,878 take-home pay has the buying power of $26,673 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Boston, MA has 1.4× the national concentration of hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop, adjusted for cost of living
Boston, MA ranks #17 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 |
| 17 | Boston, MA | $35,140 | $28,878 | $26,673 |
*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 Boston, MA?
The median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area is $35,140 a year, or about $16.89 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $31,200 and $36,760.
What is a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop’s take-home pay in Boston, MA?
On the median $35,140 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $28,878 a year ($2,406 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,537 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.
Is Boston, MA a good place to work as a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop?
Pay here is 13% above the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 8.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $26,673 would in a typical U.S. city. Boston, MA ranks #17 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 Boston, MA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Boston, MA is $2,276 a month ($2,762 for two bedrooms) — 95% 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 Boston, MA
- Chef and Head Cook — $72,470
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $48,530
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $47,090
- Cooks, Restaurant — $45,830
- Food Preparation Worker — $39,660
- Cooks, Short Order — $39,600
- Waiter and Waitress — $39,270
- Bartender — $37,760
- Dishwasher — $37,750
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $37,330
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $36,290
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $34,780