Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers Salary in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
The median pay for a dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ is $37,250/year ($17.91/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 112.56), so that salary is closer to $33,093 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,910/month — about 113.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by New York-Newark-Jersey City’s Regional Price Parity (112.56). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
Entry-level dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $44K spread from bottom to top.
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $47K | +44% | 4,460 |
| Washington | $39K | +19% | 7,070 |
| District of Columbia | $38K | +17% | 4,040 |
| Maine | $37K | +15% | 1,770 |
| Vermont | $37K | +13% | 650 |
| New York | $37K | +13% | 44,040 |
| Arizona | $36K | +10% | 11,520 |
| California | $36K | +10% | 78,320 |
| Maryland | $36K | +9% | 13,080 |
| Massachusetts | $35K | +6% | 10,820 |
| Connecticut | $34K | +4% | 6,590 |
| Oregon | $33K | +2% | 3,910 |
| New Jersey | $33K | +0% | 13,890 |
| North Dakota | $33K | -0% | 730 |
| Virginia | $31K | -4% | 9,480 |
| Florida | $30K | -7% | 46,540 |
| Rhode Island | $30K | -8% | 2,720 |
| Michigan | $30K | -8% | 14,470 |
| Nebraska | $30K | -9% | 1,830 |
| Illinois | $29K | -10% | 20,510 |
| Tennessee | $29K | -10% | 11,470 |
| Delaware | $29K | -10% | 960 |
| Minnesota | $29K | -11% | 7,140 |
| New Mexico | $29K | -11% | 3,320 |
| Georgia | $29K | -12% | 12,680 |
| Pennsylvania | $29K | -12% | 19,940 |
| South Dakota | $29K | -12% | 2,490 |
| Alaska | $29K | -12% | 350 |
| Montana | $29K | -12% | 1,000 |
| Indiana | $29K | -13% | 10,730 |
| Missouri | $28K | -13% | 8,220 |
| Idaho | $28K | -13% | 1,070 |
| Kansas | $28K | -13% | 2,670 |
| Ohio | $28K | -14% | 12,370 |
| Utah | $28K | -15% | 3,790 |
| Kentucky | $27K | -16% | 2,620 |
| Louisiana | $27K | -17% | 5,620 |
| Arkansas | $27K | -17% | 3,260 |
| Oklahoma | $27K | -18% | 3,990 |
| Texas | $27K | -18% | 55,560 |
| Iowa | $27K | -18% | 3,020 |
| West Virginia | $27K | -18% | 900 |
| North Carolina | $26K | -19% | 9,190 |
| Nevada | $26K | -20% | 13,240 |
| Wisconsin | $26K | -20% | 6,430 |
| South Carolina | $25K | -24% | 5,500 |
| New Hampshire | $24K | -26% | 1,490 |
| Alabama | $22K | -32% | 3,700 |
| Wyoming | $22K | -32% | 710 |
| Mississippi | $22K | -33% | 3,420 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New York-Newark-Jersey City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers make in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ?
The median is $37,250 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,660, and experienced dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers can clear $75,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,544/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,910/month, which eats 114.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers salary go in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
New York-Newark-Jersey City has a Regional Price Parity of 112.56 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers salary is worth about $33,093 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.