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Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers Salary in Illinois

SOC 35-9011 · Illinois · BLS OEWS May 2025

Median Annual Salary
$31,200
$15.00/hr
8.2% lower than the US national median ($33,987)
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers salary in Illinois in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P10
P10$31K
P25$31K
P50$31K
P75$34K
P90$38K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
⚡
Demand: ACTIVE. Demand is active -- retail openings are at 4.8% (JOLTS, June 2026). A balanced market where the median is a solid, competitive anchor.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in retail trade are rising about 3.4% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 3.0-3.5% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $31,200 to $34,008 (market median to the 75th percentile). The median-to-P75 range keeps offers competitive.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 4.0% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 3.4% wage growth of Retail Trade (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · MODERATE

Retail Trade is running a 4.8% job-openings rate with quits at 3.0% (BLS JOLTS). Demand has tightened for 2 straight months (4.2% up to 4.8%).

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 2.2 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is in the typical range for U.S. occupations; standard 80% to 120% pay bands around the median work well.

What changed recently
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings climbed to 4.8% and quits returned to 3.0%. Frontline churn pressure is building again.
  • Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 3.4% per year, up from 3.1%, one of the few sectors accelerating.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The median salary for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers in Illinois is $31,200 per year ($15.00/hr). This is 8.2% lower than the national median of $33,987.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

Facilitate food service. Clean tables; remove dirty dishes; replace soiled table linens; set tables; replenish supply of clean linens, silverware, glassware, and dishes; supply service bar with food; and serve items such as water, condiments, and coffee to patrons.

Wage Percentiles: Illinois

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · National adjusted
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salaryvs National
P10Entry level$15.00$31,200+46.5%
P25$15.00$31,200+10.1%
P50MEDIAN$15.00$31,200-8.2%
P75$16.35$34,008-8.7%
P90Top earners$18.32$38,106-18.2%
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P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
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Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+6.3%
Faster than average
Annual openings
100K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
527K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
3% from new growth97% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
No formal educational credential
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 2 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Restaurants and Other Eating Places
NAICS 722500
352K$32,240
Traveler Accommodation
NAICS 721100
58K$34,930
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the median dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers salary in Illinois?

The median (P50) annual salary for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers in Illinois is approximately $31,200, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 8.2% lower than the national median of $33,987. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.

Related Roles in Illinois

Same sector, top 5 by employment
Fast Food and Counter Workers35-3023View salary →Waiters and Waitresses35-3031View salary →Cooks, Restaurant35-2014View salary →First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers35-1012View salary →Food Preparation Workers35-2021View salary →Browse all 770+ occupations →
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About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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