Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary
In Iowa City, IA, hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops earn $28,510 at the median, or about $13.71 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $37K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.51), which stretches that salary to about $31,155 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $962/month, about 47.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $29K get you in Iowa City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Iowa City’s Regional Price Parity (91.51). 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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What this looks like in Iowa City
Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop pay in Iowa City tracks closely to the national median, $29K locally vs. $31K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $962/month, which is 48.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.51 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops in metros near Iowa City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $28K | $31K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $31K | $35K |
| Cedar Rapids | $28K | $32K |
| Sioux City | $28K | $32K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa City, IA
Entry-level hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $37K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $47K | +51% | 2,650 |
| Oregon | $41K | +31% | 5,740 |
| District of Columbia | $38K | +20% | 2,450 |
| Washington | $37K | +19% | 9,530 |
| Maine | $37K | +18% | 1,460 |
| California | $37K | +17% | 41,100 |
| New York | $36K | +17% | 18,640 |
| Colorado | $36K | +16% | 9,490 |
| Massachusetts | $35K | +12% | 13,540 |
| Maryland | $35K | +12% | 7,390 |
| Arizona | $35K | +11% | 10,710 |
| Connecticut | $34K | +10% | 3,670 |
| New Jersey | $34K | +9% | 9,420 |
| New Hampshire | $34K | +9% | 2,130 |
| Rhode Island | $31K | +1% | N/A |
| Illinois | $31K | +0% | 16,500 |
| Delaware | $31K | +0% | 1,680 |
| Nevada | $31K | -0% | 6,570 |
| Vermont | $31K | -0% | 1,060 |
| Virginia | $30K | -2% | 10,890 |
| South Dakota | $30K | -3% | 630 |
| Alaska | $30K | -3% | 740 |
| Minnesota | $30K | -3% | 7,150 |
| Florida | $30K | -4% | 37,100 |
| Utah | $30K | -5% | 4,950 |
| Pennsylvania | $29K | -7% | 18,020 |
| Missouri | $29K | -7% | 8,510 |
| Michigan | $29K | -7% | 12,620 |
| Montana | $29K | -7% | 1,260 |
| North Dakota | $29K | -8% | 800 |
| New Mexico | $28K | -9% | 2,670 |
| Nebraska | $28K | -9% | 2,830 |
| North Carolina | $28K | -9% | 15,160 |
| Iowa | $28K | -10% | 2,630 |
| Kansas | $28K | -10% | 4,540 |
| Wisconsin | $28K | -10% | 6,430 |
| Georgia | $28K | -11% | 17,300 |
| Ohio | $28K | -12% | 15,480 |
| Tennessee | $27K | -12% | 11,280 |
| Idaho | $27K | -13% | 2,360 |
| Kentucky | $27K | -13% | 5,120 |
| Texas | $27K | -13% | 35,550 |
| South Carolina | $27K | -13% | 7,990 |
| Indiana | $27K | -14% | 9,730 |
| Arkansas | $27K | -14% | 3,110 |
| Alabama | $26K | -16% | 5,400 |
| Oklahoma | $25K | -21% | 5,060 |
| West Virginia | $24K | -22% | 1,580 |
| Wyoming | $23K | -27% | 660 |
| Louisiana | $22K | -29% | 6,440 |
| Mississippi | $22K | -30% | 2,660 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa City 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 Iowa City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $29K, rent takes 48.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $962/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 Iowa City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,379/month. At HUD’s $962/month FMR, rent would take 70% 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 Iowa City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $29K locally vs. $31K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Iowa City compare to the national average for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops?
Iowa City pays $29K median vs. the U.S. average of $31K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $31K — below the national median.
How much do hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops make in Iowa City, IA?
The median is $28,510 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,990, and experienced hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops can clear $37,120. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in Iowa City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,975/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $962/month, which eats 48.7% 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 Iowa City?
Iowa City has a Regional Price Parity of 91.51 (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 $31,155 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.