Retail, Food, Hospitality and Services Salaries by State
Compare retail, merchandising, food service, culinary, hospitality, travel, automotive service, recreation, and security service salary ranges by U.S. state and metro. Choose a role and market to see employer-posted base salary ranges. See methodology.
Role Salaries by State
Each cell shows the mid listed salary for a selected role in a state or metro when enough postings include salary ranges.
Role Salary Range
Bars show lower to higher listed salary ranges. The marker shows the mid listed salary.
Top Salary Markets
States by median salary
| Market | Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $50K |
| Hawaii | $45K |
| Washington | $45K |
| California | $44K |
| Massachusetts | $43K |
| Alaska | $43K |
| Connecticut | $42K |
| Colorado | $41K |
States after cost of living adjustment
| Market | Adjusted |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $45K |
| Iowa | $43K |
| South Dakota | $43K |
| Washington | $42K |
| Alaska | $42K |
| North Dakota | $41K |
| Hawaii | $41K |
| Wisconsin | $41K |
Metros by median salary
| Market | Salary |
|---|---|
| Yakima, WA | $50K |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $50K |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $49K |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | $49K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $49K |
| San Francisco Bay Area | $49K |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $49K |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $46K |
Role Salary Highlights
| Role | Lower | Mid | Higher | Top state shown | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Safety Salaries Professionals dedicated to ensuring fire safety, prevention, and response through various roles such as technicians, inspectors, and firefighters. |
$51K | $61K | $73K | Massachusetts ($77K) | 864 |
| F&B Management Salaries Professionals overseeing operations, staff, and services in the food and beverage sector. |
$43K | $56K | $68K | Oklahoma ($81K) | 5,481 |
| Automotive Technician Salaries Professionals skilled in the maintenance, repair, and inspection of vehicles to ensure optimal performance and safety. |
$42K | $55K | $71K | Rhode Island ($74K) | 8,959 |
| Hospitality Management Salaries Roles focused on overseeing operations and ensuring quality service in hospitality settings. |
$41K | $50K | $72K | New York ($74K) | 3,312 |
| Travel & Tourism Salaries Roles focused on managing and coordinating travel-related services and operations. |
$41K | $50K | $68K | Illinois ($73K) | 526 |
| Auto Service Salaries Roles focused on overseeing and advising automotive service operations and customer interactions. |
$38K | $48K | $69K | Kentucky ($72K) | 6,932 |
| Reservations Salaries Professionals responsible for managing and coordinating reservations and bookings in various hospitality settings. |
$37K | $44K | $57K | Hawaii ($65K) | 1,020 |
| Visual Merchandising Salaries Visual merchandising professionals design and implement in-store displays to enhance the shopping experience and drive sales. |
$38K | $44K | $54K | Mississippi ($53K) | 7,803 |
| Restaurant Management Salaries Roles focused on overseeing operations and staff in restaurant settings. |
$34K | $42K | $56K | Limited state coverage | 26,334 |
| Security Services Salaries Professionals responsible for maintaining safety and security in various environments, often requiring vigilance and customer service skills. |
$37K | $41K | $46K | Limited state coverage | 26,304 |
| Recreation Salaries Jobs focused on providing recreational activities, entertainment, and customer engagement in various settings. |
$33K | $39K | $44K | Limited state coverage | 8,175 |
| Retail Management Salaries | $34K | $38K | $47K | Limited state coverage | 42,331 |
| Barista Salaries A barista is a skilled professional who prepares and serves coffee and other beverages in a café or coffee shop setting. |
$34K | $38K | $43K | Limited state coverage | 1,326 |
| Retail Key Holder Salaries A retail key holder is responsible for opening and closing the store, managing keys, and ensuring security protocols are followed. |
$34K | $38K | $45K | Limited state coverage | 5,389 |
| Shift Leader Salaries A supervisory role responsible for overseeing daily operations and managing team members during assigned shifts. |
$34K | $37K | $42K | Limited state coverage | 10,659 |
| Housekeeping & Hospitality Salaries This category encompasses roles focused on maintaining cleanliness and order in various hospitality settings, from hotels to private residences. |
$33K | $37K | $44K | Limited state coverage | 5,086 |
| Concierge Salaries A category encompassing roles focused on providing personalized service and assistance in hotels, palaces, and luxury settings. |
$33K | $37K | $46K | Limited state coverage | 3,065 |
| Security And Safety Salaries Roles focused on ensuring the safety and security of people, property, and assets. |
$33K | $37K | $44K | Limited state coverage | 34 |
| Kitchen Support Staff Salaries Roles focused on maintaining cleanliness and organization in kitchen environments, including dishwashing and general kitchen assistance. |
$33K | $37K | $43K | Limited state coverage | 2,712 |
| Retail Sales Associate Salaries Professionals who assist customers in retail environments, providing product information and facilitating sales. |
$33K | $36K | $41K | Limited state coverage | 27,823 |
How to Read Salary Ranges
Salary ranges show what employers are currently advertising for a role. Start with the exact role or closest role group, compare pay across states and metros, and treat lower, mid, and higher values as market anchors rather than a strict experience ladder. Role scope, location, seniority, contract type, travel work, industry demand, and sample size can all move the numbers.
Using Salary Ranges in a Salary Conversation
- Lower salary range
- Useful for early-career roles, narrower scope, or stretch opportunities.
- Mid listed salary
- A practical anchor when your background closely matches the posting.
- Higher salary range
- Stronger anchor for scarce skills, senior experience, management responsibility, specialized expertise, or competing offers.
- Location salary gap
- Useful for discussing local market pay, relocation, remote compensation, or cost-of-living adjustments.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How should I use this salary tool?
- Compare pay across states and cities, then set a realistic target before applying or negotiating. State views show broad regional differences; metro views compare specific cities.
- What do lower, mid, and higher salaries mean?
- They show how advertised pay is distributed for a role. Lower is near the bottom of listed ranges, mid is around the middle, and higher is toward the top.
- Where does the salary data come from?
- Current U.S. job postings where employers list pay. The data is grouped by job type, state, metro area, and pay level; it does not use Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates.
- Does the salary data include bonuses, equity, or benefits?
- No. It reflects listed base pay. Tips, bonuses, commissions, equity, benefits, and other compensation are excluded when listed separately.
- Why do salaries differ by state and city?
- Markets differ by employer mix, industry, labor demand, competition, and cost of living. Higher pay in one city may not mean higher purchasing power.
How the Salary Numbers Are Calculated
Figures reflect base pay listed in job postings, not guaranteed pay, actual total earnings, Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates, or official wage statistics. Salaries are converted to yearly U.S. dollars where possible and grouped by role, location, and pay level. Lower is the lower listed range, mid is the middle listed salary, and higher is the higher listed range. Hourly wages are annualized using a 2,080-hour work year; cost-of-living adjustment uses Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities, or BEA RPP. Tips, bonuses, equity, commissions, and benefits are excluded when listed separately from base pay.
Important Notes About the Data
Only postings that list salary information are included, so coverage is stronger in some states than others. Current role mix can affect results, including contract work, travel work, senior roles, junior roles, specialized jobs, and industry-specific demand. On mobile, regional charts may default to areas with the most available data so the view stays readable.