Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary in Kansas City, MO
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop in the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area earn a median $29,280 a year — 6% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $25,268 take-home, or $2,106 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary in Kansas City, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,334
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,815
- Medicare (1.45%)$425
- Missouri income tax$439
- Take-home pay$25,268
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.70% state
Living in Kansas City, MO? City residents also pay Kansas City, MO’s Earnings Tax — about $293 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $24,975 ($2,081 a month). Choose “Kansas City, MO” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Kansas City, MO-KS metro spans Missouri, Kansas. 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 Kansas City, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $23,290 | $11.20 | $20,623 | $1,719 |
| 25th percentile | $28,600 | $13.75 | $24,753 | $2,063 |
| Median (50th) | $29,280 | $14.08 | $25,268 | $2,106 |
| 75th percentile | $34,930 | $16.79 | $29,542 | $2,462 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $40,620 | $19.53 | $33,846 | $2,821 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $29,280 buys in Kansas City, MO
Prices in Kansas City, MO are 7.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 13% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop's $25,268 take-home pay has the buying power of $27,304 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Kansas City, MO 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
Kansas City, MO ranks #10 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 |
| 10 | Kansas City, MO | $29,280 | $25,268 | $27,304 |
*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.
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop salaries elsewhere in Missouri
- St. Louis, MO — $31,200
Frequently asked questions
How much does a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop make in Kansas City, MO?
The median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary in the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area is $29,280 a year, or about $14.08 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $28,600 and $34,930.
What is a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop’s take-home pay in Kansas City, MO?
On the median $29,280 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $25,268 a year ($2,106 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $439 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is Kansas City, MO a good place to work as a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop?
Pay here is 6% below the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 7.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $27,304 would in a typical U.S. city. Kansas City, MO ranks #10 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 Kansas City, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Kansas City, MO is $1,193 a month ($1,355 for two bedrooms) — 57% 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 Kansas City, MO
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $39,210
- Cooks, Restaurant — $37,370
- Waiter and Waitress — $36,080
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $36,080
- Dishwasher — $34,800
- Food Preparation Worker — $32,230
- Bartender — $30,300
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $30,200
- Cooks, Fast Food — $30,170
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $29,560