Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers salary in Iowa
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers in Iowa earn a median of $28,210 a year ($13.56 an hour), based on BLS data for 3,250 workers.
Pay ranges from $16,980 for the lowest-paid 10% to $35,460 for the top 10%. That is 17% lower than the national median of $33,980. Iowa ranks 32nd of 51 states for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers pay. There are 2.1 dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.60). The average (mean) salary is $26,810, close to the median.
Pay range for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers in Iowa
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $16,980 | $8.16 |
| 25th percentile | $20,400 | $9.81 |
| Median | $28,210 | $13.56 |
| 75th percentile | $31,300 | $15.05 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $35,460 | $17.05 |
| Average (mean) | $26,810 | $12.89 |
Half of dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $2,350.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,175.42 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,085 |
| Weekly | $542.50 |
| Hourly | $13.56 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $28,210 salary, see how much house you can afford in Iowa at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers salary in cities in Iowa
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $31,190 | 360 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $31,170 | 1,340 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $29,760 | 150 |
| Ames, IA | $29,630 | 110 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $29,020 | 320 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $28,930 | 210 |
| Iowa City, IA | $28,860 | 270 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $27,730 | 790 |
| Dubuque, IA | $27,670 | 100 |
Highest-paying states for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $51,200 |
| Washington | $41,420 |
| District of Columbia | $39,080 |
| Maine | $38,560 |
| Maryland | $37,020 |
| Oregon | $36,800 |
| Colorado | $36,790 |
| New York | $36,740 |
| Arizona | $36,500 |
| California | $36,010 |
See Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers pay in every state.
Related jobs in Iowa
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Dishwasher | $29,300 | $14.09 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $28,210 | $13.56 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $33,480 | $16.10 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,390 | $13.65 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $21,000 | $10.10 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $35,670 | $17.15 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $38,760 | $18.64 |
| Bartender | $21,720 | $10.44 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $35,810 | $17.22 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $28,510 | $13.71 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $30,110 | $14.48 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $30,360 | $14.60 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $47,990 | $23.07 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $34,090 | $16.39 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Iowa
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-9011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers make in Iowa?
The median salary for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers in Iowa is $28,210 a year, or $13.56 an hour. Pay ranges from $16,980 for the lowest-paid 10% to $35,460 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers make in Iowa?
The top 10% of dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers in Iowa earn at least $35,460 a year. The top 25% earn $31,300 or more.
What is the starting pay for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers in Iowa?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $16,980 a year, and a quarter of dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers earn $20,400 or less.
How many dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers work in Iowa?
About 3,250 dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers are employed in Iowa, not counting the self-employed.