Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary
In Georgia, hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops earn $27,850 at the median, or about $13.39 an hour. The range runs from $20K at the entry level to $35K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.89), which stretches that salary to about $30,308 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,434/month, about 72.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Georgia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $28K get you in Georgia?
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What this looks like in Georgia
Pay for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop in Georgia runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $31K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,434/month, which is 73.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Georgia
Entry-level hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops (10th percentile) start around $20K. Mid-career wages sit at $28K. Top earners bring in $35K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop salary by metro in Georgia
13 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $29K | +3% | 11,940 |
| Savannah | $28K | +1% | 990 |
| Gainesville | $27K | -2% | 210 |
| Macon-Bibb County | $26K | -6% | 260 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons | $26K | -7% | 260 |
| Athens-Clarke County | $26K | -7% | 370 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $26K | -8% | 690 |
| Warner Robins | $25K | -10% | 250 |
| Columbus | $25K | -11% | 360 |
| Dalton | $25K | -12% | 110 |
| Rome | $24K | -13% | 120 |
| Albany | $24K | -14% | 170 |
| Valdosta | $23K | -16% | 220 |
Showing 1–10 of 13 metros
Compare to other states
Track hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Georgia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop afford a 2BR apartment alone in Georgia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $28K, rent takes 73.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,434/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops in Georgia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops typically earn — is $20K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,193/month. At HUD’s $1,434/month FMR, rent would take 120% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop a high-paying job in Georgia?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $28K here vs. $31K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Georgia compare to the national average for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops?
Georgia pays $28K median vs. the U.S. average of $31K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $30K — below the national median.
How much do hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops make in Georgia?
The median is $27,850 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $19,890, and experienced hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops can clear $34,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $28K enough to live in Georgia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,945/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,434/month, which eats 73.7% 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 hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary go in Georgia?
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity of 91.89 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary is worth about $30,308 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops 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.