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Restaurant manager: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$44,080median pay per year, or $21.19 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $29,940lowest 10% earn less
  2. $35,98025th percentile
  3. $44,080median
  4. $54,57075th percentile
  5. $65,570top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Restaurant managers, which BLS counts as first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers, had a median pay of $44,080 a year in May 2025[1]. The typical entry path asks for a high school diploma and some related experience[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+5.4%[5]
Openings per year
171,500[6]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[2]

How much do restaurant managers make?

The median pay was $44,080 a year, or $21.19 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $46,180 a year, or $22.20 an hour[7]. For all occupations in the US, the median was $50,980[4], so this job's median sits below that.

Pay varies a lot. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $29,940 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $35,980[3]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $54,570, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $65,570[3]. In hourly terms, the 10th percentile was $14.40 and the 90th was $31.52[8]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages rather than a starting salary[9].

These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and owners, and they do not include nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10].

Pay by state and city

Washington had the highest state median at $59,400, followed by the District of Columbia at $57,170 and Connecticut at $52,940[11]. West Virginia had the lowest listed median at $33,070[11].

The most jobs were in Texas (137,930), California (130,190) and Florida (91,500)[12]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA had the highest median at $61,610, then Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA at $58,740[13]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs at 61,060, with a median of $48,690[14].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Washington[11]$59,40020,700
District of Columbia$57,1702,830
Connecticut$52,94010,770
Colorado$50,55025,510
Vermont$49,8201,970
New Hampshire$49,7103,840
Hawaii$48,8807,330
New Jersey$48,42027,750
Rhode Island$48,4003,320
Delaware$48,1204,030
Maine$47,9903,740
New York$47,19065,580
California$46,980130,190
Oregon$46,95016,880
Massachusetts$46,60023,220
Alaska$46,5702,390
Virginia$45,55030,640
Minnesota$45,27020,760
North Carolina$45,01039,750
Indiana$44,88023,500
North Dakota$44,7202,780
Florida$44,47091,500
Nevada$44,03014,230
Montana$44,0104,650
Pennsylvania$43,05035,560
Maryland$42,45020,150
South Dakota$40,6402,920
Arizona$40,55021,450
Tennessee$40,50029,100
Wisconsin$39,67021,240
Illinois$39,47041,030
New Mexico$39,3106,540
Nebraska$39,2307,840
Iowa$38,76011,400
Utah$38,75013,670
Georgia$38,60048,420
South Carolina$38,52020,120
Kansas$38,22010,520
Idaho$38,1907,440
Michigan$37,94032,890
Missouri$37,40021,650
Ohio$37,34051,990
Alabama$37,11019,180
Wyoming$36,8202,680
Mississippi$36,53010,480
Texas$36,480137,930
Kentucky$35,81018,010
Louisiana$35,80016,680
Oklahoma$35,42018,900
Arkansas$33,80011,200
West Virginia$33,0706,390

How to become a restaurant manager

BLS describes the typical path like this[2]:

In an ONET survey of 24 workers, 70% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required, and 27% said less than a high school diploma[15]. That is a small survey, so treat it as a rough picture. ONET places the job in a zone where some roles need little experience and others need several months to a year[16].

What restaurant managers do

ONET describes the work as directly supervising and coordinating the people who prepare and serve food[17]. Tasks listed by ONET include:

Workers in this field report job titles such as kitchen manager, food service supervisor and cafeteria manager[19].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 5.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1,236,400 to 1,303,500 jobs[5]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[20]. These projection counts include self-employed workers[5].

About 171,500 openings a year are projected[6]. Openings include jobs created by workers who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 4.6% of workers leave the labor force and 8.4% move to a different occupation[21].

Is it a good fit?

The entry path is open to people with a high school diploma and some related experience[2]. Pay has a median of $44,080, below the $50,980 median for all occupations, though the top 10% earned more than $65,570[1][4][3]. Projected growth of 5.4% is faster than the 3.5% for all occupations[5][20]. Location matters, since state medians range from $33,070 to $59,400[11].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[22].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a restaurant manager make an hour?
The median was $21.19 an hour and the average was $22.20 in May 2025[1][7].
What education do you need to be a restaurant manager?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education, with less than 5 years of related work experience[2].
Is restaurant manager a job in demand?
BLS projects 5.4% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 171,500 openings a year[5][20][6].
What is the highest paying state for restaurant managers?
Washington had the highest median at $59,400 a year, followed by the District of Columbia at $57,170[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers in the US was $44,080 per year and $21.19 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers: 10th percentile $29,940, 25th percentile $35,980, 75th percentile $54,570, 90th percentile $65,570. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: employment of First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers is projected to grow 5.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1,236,400 to 1,303,500 jobs (a change of +67,100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 171,500 openings for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers was $46,180 per year and $22.20 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers: 10th percentile $14.40, 25th percentile $17.30, 75th percentile $26.24, 90th percentile $31.52. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers jobs: Texas 137,930; California 130,190; Florida 91,500; New York 65,580; Ohio 51,990. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $61,610; Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $58,740; Bellingham, WA $58,520; Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $58,260; Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $57,870; Walla Walla, WA $57,470; Kahului-Wailuku, HI $56,600; Kennewick-Richland, WA $56,260. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 61,060 (median $48,690); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 41,640 (median $46,970); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 39,780 (median $37,730); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 31,290 (median $36,410); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 30,180 (median $42,650); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 28,580 (median $39,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. O*NET 35-1012.00 survey of workers (24 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 70%, Less than a High School Diploma 27% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  16. O*NET 35-1012.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 35-1012.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Cafeteria Manager, Dietary Supervisor, Dining Services Director, Food and Beverage Director, Food and Nutrition Services Supervisor, Food Production Supervisor, Food Service Supervisor, Kitchen Manager. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers: 4.6% of workers leave the labor force each year and 8.4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  22. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.