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Best States to Be a Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers salary goes furthest in Hawaii — a $51,200 BLS median worth $44,410 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 143.8).
Which US states are best for a dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers after cost of living and tax?
For a dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Hawaii #1: a $51,200 BLS median becomes $44,410 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 143.8). Texas ranks last ($22,203, index 71.9). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Hawaii ranks #1 of 51 states for a dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers. Index 100 = the average state; 143.8 means pay goes 43.8% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedDining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $51,200 | $2,370 | 110.0 | $44,410 | 143.8 |
| 2 | Washington | $41,420 | — | 107.0 | $38,706 | 125.3 |
| 3 | Maine | $38,560 | $1,068 | 97.0 | $38,632 | 125.1 |
| 4 | Arizona | $36,500 | $438 | 100.7 | $35,820 | 116.0 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $31,010 | — | 89.0 | $34,859 | 112.8 |
| 6 | Colorado | $36,790 | $959 | 103.1 | $34,770 | 112.6 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $39,080 | $1,245 | 109.9 | $34,427 | 111.4 |
| 8 | Missouri | $31,850 | $616 | 90.8 | $34,392 | 111.3 |
| 9 | Vermont | $34,120 | $724 | 98.0 | $34,092 | 110.4 |
| 10 | Maryland | $37,020 | $1,426 | 105.0 | $33,913 | 109.8 |
| 11 | South Dakota | $29,920 | — | 88.6 | $33,775 | 109.3 |
| 12 | Nebraska | $30,690 | $562 | 90.1 | $33,437 | 108.2 |
| 13 | Oregon | $36,800 | $2,416 | 103.4 | $33,266 | 107.7 |
| 14 | New York | $36,740 | $1,416 | 107.9 | $32,732 | 106.0 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $34,540 | $629 | 103.6 | $32,729 | 105.9 |
| 16 | Florida | $33,280 | — | 103.4 | $32,181 | 104.2 |
| 17 | California | $36,010 | $452 | 110.7 | $32,115 | 104.0 |
| 18 | Tennessee | $29,470 | — | 91.9 | $32,078 | 103.8 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $35,380 | $1,549 | 105.8 | $31,989 | 103.5 |
| 20 | Ohio | $29,400 | $26 | 92.8 | $31,662 | 102.5 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $29,360 | $366 | 92.2 | $31,443 | 101.8 |
| 22 | Virginia | $32,410 | $1,064 | 101.1 | $31,004 | 100.4 |
| 23 | Iowa | $28,210 | $1,032 | 87.8 | $30,968 | 100.2 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $34,170 | $510 | 108.8 | $30,936 | 100.1 |
| 25 | Delaware | $31,880 | $1,092 | 99.8 | $30,847 | 99.9 |
| 26 | Arkansas | $27,670 | $871 | 86.9 | $30,826 | 99.8 |
| 27 | Michigan | $30,390 | $1,045 | 96.2 | $30,499 | 98.7 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $31,200 | $570 | 102.3 | $29,947 | 96.9 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $26,780 | $428 | 88.2 | $29,875 | 96.7 |
| 30 | Illinois | $31,200 | $1,403 | 100.0 | $29,809 | 96.5 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $26,830 | $737 | 87.8 | $29,704 | 96.2 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $27,150 | $671 | 89.5 | $29,586 | 95.8 |
| 33 | Indiana | $28,320 | $820 | 93.3 | $29,466 | 95.4 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $29,310 | $900 | 97.6 | $29,117 | 94.3 |
| 35 | Georgia | $28,920 | $912 | 96.3 | $29,086 | 94.2 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $29,210 | $763 | 98.6 | $28,845 | 93.4 |
| 37 | Idaho | $27,810 | $463 | 95.5 | $28,637 | 92.7 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $27,560 | $629 | 94.3 | $28,551 | 92.4 |
| 39 | Montana | $27,510 | $588 | 94.6 | $28,445 | 92.1 |
| 40 | Kansas | $26,300 | $704 | 90.1 | $28,419 | 92.0 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $26,830 | $248 | 93.7 | $28,354 | 91.8 |
| 42 | Wisconsin | $27,080 | $449 | 94.1 | $28,303 | 91.6 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $26,330 | $922 | 90.2 | $28,181 | 91.2 |
| 44 | Nevada | $27,460 | — | 100.0 | $27,466 | 88.9 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $24,600 | — | 92.7 | $26,540 | 85.9 |
| 46 | Alaska | $27,040 | — | 102.4 | $26,417 | 85.5 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $23,180 | $215 | 87.0 | $26,411 | 85.5 |
| 48 | Utah | $27,010 | $1,229 | 98.9 | $26,077 | 84.4 |
| 49 | New Hampshire | $26,290 | — | 104.2 | $25,239 | 81.7 |
| 50 | Alabama | $22,470 | $859 | 88.8 | $24,331 | 78.8 |
| 51 | Texas | $21,550 | — | 97.1 | $22,203 | 71.9 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.
Where does your salary go furthest?
Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.
In Hawaii, a $51,200 salary is worth about $41,444 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $5,632 (≈ top marginal 11.00% (upper bound)) · take-home $45,568 · BEA cost of living 110.0 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $57,797, a $16,353 gain over Hawaii.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $57,797 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $56,596 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $56,304 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $56,292 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $56,123 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $56,116 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $55,731 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $55,517 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $55,237 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $54,761 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $54,517 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $54,451 | 89.5 |
Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Hawaii is the best state for a dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers: a BLS median of $51,200 is worth $44,410 after the 2025 state income tax ($2,370) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 110.0), an index of 143.8 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Hawaii has the highest headline BLS median for a dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers at $51,200, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 143.8). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers salary go least far?
- Texas ranks last of 51 states for a dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers: a $21,550 BLS median is worth only $22,203 after tax and cost of living (index 71.9). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care AidesWashington
- Retail SalespersonsNorth Dakota
- Fast Food and Counter WorkersCalifornia
- General and Operations ManagersSouth Dakota
- Registered NursesCalifornia
- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
- Customer Service RepresentativesIowa
- Office Clerks, GeneralNorth Dakota
- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
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Related on GeraJobs
- Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.