Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary in Riverside, CA
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area earn a median $34,830 a year — 12% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,331 take-home, or $2,444 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary in Riverside, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,000
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,159
- Medicare (1.45%)$505
- California income tax$383
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$453
- Take-home pay$29,331
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
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 Riverside, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,320 | $16.50 | $28,948 | $2,412 |
| 25th percentile | $34,340 | $16.51 | $28,963 | $2,414 |
| Median (50th) | $34,830 | $16.75 | $29,331 | $2,444 |
| 75th percentile | $36,350 | $17.48 | $30,471 | $2,539 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,460 | $21.38 | $36,558 | $3,046 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $34,830 buys in Riverside, CA
Prices in Riverside, CA are 6.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.29× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop's $29,331 take-home pay has the buying power of $27,555 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 Riverside, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.91).
Best-paying cities for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop, adjusted for cost of living
Riverside, CA ranks #9 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 |
| 9 | Riverside, CA | $34,830 | $29,331 | $27,555 |
*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 California
- San Francisco, CA — $39,810
- Los Angeles, CA — $36,920
- San Diego, CA — $36,140
Frequently asked questions
How much does a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop make in Riverside, CA?
The median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area is $34,830 a year, or about $16.75 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $34,340 and $36,350.
What is a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop’s take-home pay in Riverside, CA?
On the median $34,830 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $29,331 a year ($2,444 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $835 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Riverside, CA a good place to work as a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop?
Pay here is 12% above the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 6.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $27,555 would in a typical U.S. city. Riverside, CA ranks #9 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 Riverside, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Riverside, CA is $1,777 a month ($2,201 for two bedrooms) — 73% 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 Riverside, CA
- Chef and Head Cook — $64,480
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $44,990
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $44,470
- Cooks, Fast Food — $42,480
- Cooks, Restaurant — $42,450
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $42,280
- Food Preparation Worker — $38,420
- Dishwasher — $36,710
- Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other — $35,260
- Bartender — $34,840
- Waiter and Waitress — $34,800
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $34,590