Oysterlink Analysis: Bartenders And Waiters See Wage Growth Of Nearly 40% In 5 Years

(MENAFN- Newsfile Corp) Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - September 23, 2025) - Hospitality job platform OysterLink released an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data that spotlights the hospitality roles with the strongest wage growth between 2020 and 2024. The findings show that bartenders and waiters led the industry with pay increases of up to 39.6% , reflecting shifting industry dynamics and growing demand for talent.

Bartender Wages
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"Hospitality has always been a people-first industry, and this level of wage growth shows both opportunity for workers and the challenges employers face in attracting and retaining talent," said Milos Eric, co-founder and general manager of OysterLink. "At OysterLink, we're committed to helping hospitality professionals navigate these changes by providing the tools and community they need to thrive."

While management roles like restaurant managers and hotel managers still offer the highest overall pay, it's the traditionally entry-level jobs - waiters, bartenders, dishwashers, and hosts - that have experienced the steepest wage increases. This trend points to a rising baseline in hospitality pay and stronger competition for frontline workers.

Table 1. Top Hospitality Jobs by Wage Growth (2020-2024)

Job Title	2020 Avg. Salary	2024 Avg. Salary	Total Wage Growth
Waiter	$27,470	$38,360	+39.64%
Bartender	$28,910	$39,880	+37.95%
Dishwasher	$25,600	$33,220	+29.77%
Host/Hostess	$24,800	$32,030	+29.15%
Housekeeper	$28,010	$36,180	+29.17%
Fast-Food Worker	$24,540	$31,350	+27.75%

Why This Wage Growth Matters

The rapid wage growth in frontline hospitality roles such as waiters and bartenders signals a major shift in the industry. Traditionally, these jobs have been viewed as entry-level positions with modest pay. However, the combination of labor shortages, rising demand for hospitality services, and increasing expectations from workers has pushed wages significantly higher.

For workers, this means stronger earning potential and more sustainable career paths in roles that once carried limited financial prospects. For employers, it highlights the urgency of offering competitive compensation and better retention strategies to secure and keep talent in a tight labor market.

About OysterLink

OysterLink is a job platform for restaurant and hospitality professionals with over 400,000 monthly visitors. OysterLink connects talent with opportunities across the U.S., including the top server jobs in Miami or bartender jobs in Orlando .

The platform also offers trend reports, expert insights, and interviews with leaders in hospitality. To explore more data-driven insights or post a job that works for today's talent, visit .

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