Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary
In Maryland, hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops earn $34,860 at the median, or about $16.76 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $38K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.76), that's roughly $35,298 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,795/month, about 74.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maryland. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $35K get you in Maryland?
About hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Maryland
Maryland sits well above the national pay line for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $31K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,795/month, which is 75.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.76) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maryland
Entry-level hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $38K or more, a $7K spread from bottom to top.
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop salary by metro in Maryland
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $34K | -2% | 3,590 |
| Lexington Park | $32K | -8% | 230 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg | $31K | -10% | 240 |
| Salisbury | $31K | -10% | 150 |
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 Maryland numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
Can a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maryland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 75.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,795/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Maryland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,872/month. At HUD’s $1,795/month FMR, rent would take 96% 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 Maryland?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $35K here vs. $31K nationally.
How does Maryland compare to the national average for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops?
Maryland pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $31K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops make in Maryland?
The median is $34,860 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops can clear $38,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Maryland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,381/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,795/month, which eats 75.4% 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 hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary go in Maryland?
Maryland has a Regional Price Parity of 98.76 (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 $35,298 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.