Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary in Chicago, IL
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $31,720 a year — 2% more 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 hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,626
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,967
- Medicare (1.45%)$460
- Illinois income tax$1,425
- Take-home pay$26,242
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. 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 Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,200 | $15.00 | $25,850 | $2,154 |
| 25th percentile | $31,200 | $15.00 | $25,850 | $2,154 |
| Median (50th) | $31,720 | $15.25 | $26,242 | $2,187 |
| 75th percentile | $36,190 | $17.40 | $29,612 | $2,468 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,260 | $21.76 | $36,451 | $3,038 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $31,720 buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop's $26,242 take-home pay has the buying power of $25,331 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 Chicago, IL as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.07).
Best-paying cities for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #29 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 |
| 29 | Chicago, IL | $31,720 | $26,242 | $25,331 |
*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 Chicago, IL?
The median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $31,720 a year, or about $15.25 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $31,200 and $36,190.
What is a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $31,720 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $26,242 a year ($2,187 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,425 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop?
Pay here is 2% above the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $25,331 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #29 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 Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 70% 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 Chicago, IL
- Chef and Head Cook — $60,770
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $42,650
- Cooks, Restaurant — $38,930
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $38,290
- Dishwasher — $36,850
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $35,670
- Food Preparation Worker — $35,410
- Cooks, Fast Food — $35,360
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $34,630
- Waiter and Waitress — $31,200
- Bartender — $31,200
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $31,200