Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers salary in Kentucky
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers in Kentucky earn a median of $26,330 a year ($12.66 an hour), based on BLS data for 3,350 workers.
Pay ranges from $15,870 for the lowest-paid 10% to $37,330 for the top 10%. That is 23% lower than the national median of $33,980. Kentucky ranks 45th of 51 states for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers pay. There are 1.7 dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.48). The average (mean) salary is $26,350, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers in Kentucky
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $15,870 | $7.63 |
| 25th percentile | $20,640 | $9.92 |
| Median | $26,330 | $12.66 |
| 75th percentile | $30,780 | $14.80 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $37,330 | $17.95 |
| Average (mean) | $26,350 | $12.67 |
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 | $2,194.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,097.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,012.69 |
| Weekly | $506.35 |
| Hourly | $12.66 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $26,330 salary, see how much house you can afford in Kentucky 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 Kentucky
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $29,890 | 2,740 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $28,030 | 1,570 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $27,030 | 120 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $26,940 | 230 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $26,200 | 150 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $25,940 | 200 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $25,720 | 110 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $24,090 | 550 |
| Owensboro, KY | $23,350 | 120 |
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 Kentucky
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $27,100 | $13.03 |
| Dishwasher | $29,060 | $13.97 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $27,130 | $13.04 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $29,660 | $14.26 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $23,500 | $11.30 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $35,810 | $17.21 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $26,850 | $12.91 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $34,640 | $16.65 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $31,550 | $15.17 |
| Bartender | $28,780 | $13.84 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $32,200 | $15.48 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $48,070 | $23.11 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $31,840 | $15.31 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Kentucky
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 Kentucky?
The median salary for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers in Kentucky is $26,330 a year, or $12.66 an hour. Pay ranges from $15,870 for the lowest-paid 10% to $37,330 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers make in Kentucky?
The top 10% of dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers in Kentucky earn at least $37,330 a year. The top 25% earn $30,780 or more.
What is the starting pay for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers in Kentucky?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $15,870 a year, and a quarter of dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers earn $20,640 or less.
How many dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers work in Kentucky?
About 3,350 dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers are employed in Kentucky, not counting the self-employed.