JobAfterNext

Baristas

Prepare or serve specialty coffee or other beverages. Serve food such as baked goods or sandwiches to patrons.

Wages

BLS doesn't publish wages for Baristas separately. These are the figures for Fast Food and Counter Workers (35-3023), its parent occupation.

Median annual wage, U.S.$31,200
Employment, U.S.3,854,050
Median hourly wage$15.00
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$22,840$27,700$31,200$36,070$42,650
By state (51)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama41,460$23,7000.79
Alaska5,900$33,2800.73
Arizona77,210$34,2300.96
Arkansas35,660$26,2501.10
California449,840$42,2801.00
Colorado82,010$36,2701.15
Connecticut35,720$35,3800.85
Delaware13,310$31,3001.11
District of Columbia5,500$37,4300.32
Florida235,400$29,0800.96
Georgia145,030$26,9201.20
Hawaii24,130$35,2501.55
Idaho25,810$28,9401.21
Illinois127,590$33,9100.84
Indiana97,290$28,7901.23
Iowa40,290$28,3901.04
Kansas47,140$27,5801.32
Kentucky41,860$27,1300.84
Louisiana45,720$22,8000.95
Maine17,250$34,7101.09
Maryland49,380$33,6600.72
Massachusetts85,810$35,8500.95
Michigan103,130$28,9300.94
Minnesota58,970$31,3700.81
Mississippi31,220$22,6101.08
Missouri29,360$30,3900.40
Montana14,960$29,0901.18
Nebraska30,060$29,0001.18
Nevada45,850$31,9501.19
New Hampshire14,540$31,5900.86
New Jersey93,730$34,1500.88
New Mexico28,250$28,7001.31
New York168,620$35,2500.70
North Carolina92,230$28,5700.75
North Dakota11,470$30,0801.08
Ohio163,560$28,4301.19
Oklahoma52,520$23,4301.24
Oregon59,920$35,0501.23
Pennsylvania142,220$28,5700.95
Rhode Island13,310$31,4901.07
South Carolina65,070$27,5201.14
South Dakota15,150$29,4901.34
Tennessee90,690$27,4701.12
Texas460,530$27,7401.32
Utah52,340$28,6701.22
Vermont6,830$36,0300.91
Virginia104,460$30,1101.03
Washington94,710$37,7101.08
West Virginia6,240$26,0700.36
Wisconsin67,750$28,6000.93
Wyoming7,060$27,8601.01

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Cooks, Fast Food1-20.963
2Waiters and Waitresses1-20.963
3Bartenders1-20.954
4Fast Food and Counter Workers1-20.952
5Food Servers, Nonrestaurant1-20.945
6Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop1-20.945
7Butchers and Meat Cutters1-20.944
8Amusement and Recreation Attendants1-20.943
9Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers1-20.943
10Cashiers1-20.939

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Baristas, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
BartendersInstructing0.880.954
Butchers and Meat CuttersTime Management0.880.944
BakersTime Management0.760.928
Cooks, Short OrderTime Management1.000.926
Cooks, RestaurantTime Management0.880.920
Gambling and Sports Book Writers and RunnersMathematics1.130.907

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Baristas, excluding software Baristas already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
Compris software3 of 2034.6x
MICROS Systems HSI Profits Series3 of 2034.6x
NCR Advanced Checkout Solution3 of 2034.6x
NCR NeighborhoodPOS3 of 2034.6x
RestaurantPlus PRO3 of 2034.6x
Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale3 of 2023.1x
The General Store3 of 2023.1x
Plexis Software Plexis POS3 of 2019.8x
Facebook7 of 202.4x
Microsoft Windows9 of 201.7x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Service OrientationTransferable skill 3.38 2.88
Active ListeningEssential skill 3.38 2.62
SpeakingEssential skill 3.25 2.88
CoordinationTransferable skill 3.00 2.75
MonitoringEssential skill 3.00 2.75
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 3.00 2.50
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 2.88 2.75
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 2.62 2.62
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 2.62 2.12
Active LearningEssential skill 2.50 2.50
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.50 2.38
WritingEssential skill 2.50 2.25
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.38 2.25
Time ManagementTransferable skill 2.38 2.12
InstructingTransferable skill 2.25 2.12
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 2.25 1.88
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 2.12 1.75
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 2.12 1.75
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 2.00 2.00
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.00 2.00
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 2.00 1.88
MathematicsEssential skill 1.88 1.62
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 1.88 1.12
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 1.88 1.12
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 1.75 1.25
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 1.75 0.88
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 1.50 0.88
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.50 0.50
RepairingTransferable skill 1.38 0.62
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 1.12not rated
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.12not rated
InstallationTransferable skill 1.00not rated
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.00not rated
ScienceEssential skill 1.00not rated
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Customer and Personal Service 4.56 3.79
Administration and Management 3.58 2.52
Sales and Marketing 3.46 2.86
Food Production 3.17 3.08
English Language 3.06 2.63
Personnel and Human Resources 2.95 2.47
Production and Processing 2.60 2.03
Education and Training 2.43 3.29
Public Safety and Security 2.39 2.19
Communications and Media 2.31 2.21
Economics and Accounting 2.23 1.26
Mathematics 2.19 1.64
Psychology 2.16 1.83
Sociology and Anthropology 2.15 1.62
Computers and Electronics 2.14 2.12
Telecommunications 2.12 1.10
Administrative 2.06 1.30
Foreign Language 1.86 1.20
Transportation 1.83 1.14
Chemistry 1.82 1.53
Mechanical 1.82 1.16
Engineering and Technology 1.81 1.16
Design 1.57not rated
History and Archeology 1.54not rated
Philosophy and Theology 1.51not rated
Law and Government 1.38 0.45
Physics 1.34not rated
Geography 1.31not rated
Building and Construction 1.29not rated
Medicine and Dentistry 1.22not rated
Biology 1.16not rated
Therapy and Counseling 1.16not rated
Fine Arts 1.08not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Speech Clarity 3.88 3.25
Oral Comprehension 3.75 3.25
Oral Expression 3.62 3.38
Speech Recognition 3.38 3.12
Manual Dexterity 3.12 3.00
Near Vision 3.12 2.88
Control Precision 3.12 2.75
Trunk Strength 3.00 3.00
Time Sharing 3.00 2.88
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.00 2.75
Information Ordering 3.00 2.75
Written Comprehension 2.88 2.88
Finger Dexterity 2.88 2.75
Problem Sensitivity 2.88 2.75
Category Flexibility 2.88 2.62
Multilimb Coordination 2.75 2.62
Deductive Reasoning 2.75 2.50
Stamina 2.75 2.25
Auditory Attention 2.62 2.50
Selective Attention 2.62 2.25
Extent Flexibility 2.50 2.62
Visual Color Discrimination 2.50 2.38
Inductive Reasoning 2.50 2.25
Perceptual Speed 2.50 2.25
Speed of Closure 2.50 2.25
Written Expression 2.38 2.38
Memorization 2.38 2.25
Static Strength 2.38 2.25
Far Vision 2.38 2.00
Reaction Time 2.25 2.38
Fluency of Ideas 2.12 2.00
Gross Body Coordination 2.12 2.00
Hearing Sensitivity 2.12 2.00
Number Facility 2.12 2.00
Dynamic Strength 2.12 1.88
Originality 2.12 1.88
Flexibility of Closure 2.12 1.75
Wrist-Finger Speed 2.00 1.62
Visualization 1.88 1.75
Depth Perception 1.88 1.25
Mathematical Reasoning 1.88 1.25
Rate Control 1.75 1.25
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.75 1.12
Response Orientation 1.75 0.88
Explosive Strength 1.50 0.88
Dynamic Flexibility 1.38 0.38
Speed of Limb Movement 1.38 0.38
Sound Localization 1.25not rated
Spatial Orientation 1.25not rated
Peripheral Vision 1.12not rated
Glare Sensitivity 1.00not rated
Night Vision 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

Where it concentrates

BLS doesn't publish wages for Baristas separately. These are the figures for Fast Food and Counter Workers (35-3023), its parent occupation.

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Lawrence, KS2,8802.25$28,320
Eagle Pass, TX1,0202.18$24,570
Hinesville, GA1,0302.04$25,210
Warner Robins, GA3,6501.93$26,610
Lubbock, TX7,9301.92$25,250
Killeen-Temple, TX7,1201.91$26,530
Muncie, IN2,1201.91$27,560
Guayama, PR5501.78$21,920
Valdosta, GA2,3801.78$23,100
Victoria, TX1,6801.78$24,510

More metros, other thresholds