Barista Salary in Illinois: $35,500 Average

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Average base salary, Illinois

$35,500 / year

≈ $2,950 per month · $17.07 per hour

LocationOr metro area

BLS May 2025 state data for Illinois · median $35,000

25th percentile
$32,500Average
$35,50075th percentile
$37,000

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (occupation group), with detailed role definition from O*NET, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.

Barista salary by state

Alabama$26,500

Alaska$35,500

Arizona$36,500

Arkansas$28,000

California$43,000

Colorado$38,000

Connecticut$37,500

Delaware$35,000

District of Columbia$41,000

Florida$32,000

Georgia$28,000

Hawaii$37,000

Idaho$29,500

Illinois$35,500

Indiana$30,000

Iowa$30,000

Kansas$28,000

Kentucky$28,000

Louisiana$25,500

Maine$37,000

Maryland$35,500

Massachusetts$37,000

Michigan$31,500

Minnesota$33,500

Mississippi$24,500

Missouri$33,500

Montana$31,000

Nebraska$32,000

Nevada$34,000

New Hampshire$33,000

New Jersey$36,500

New Mexico$31,500

New York$38,000

North Carolina$30,000

North Dakota$32,500

Ohio$30,000

Oklahoma$26,000

Oregon$37,500

Pennsylvania$30,000

Rhode Island$35,000

South Carolina$29,000

South Dakota$32,000

Tennessee$29,000

Texas$28,500

Utah$30,000

Vermont$39,000

Virginia$33,000

Washington$42,000

West Virginia$27,500

Wisconsin$30,000

Wyoming$28,500

About this role

Barista is a professional role within the function in the Food Preparation and Serving job family.

Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Baristas do

Typical education: Less than a High School Diploma

Receive and process customer payments.
Prepare or serve hot or cold beverages, such as coffee, espresso drinks, blended coffees, or teas.
Take customer orders and convey them to other employees for preparation.
Clean or sanitize work areas, utensils, or equipment.
Describe menu items to customers, or suggest products that might appeal to them.

Top skills: Active Listening Speaking Service Orientation Social Perceptiveness Reading Comprehension Monitoring

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).

Barista pay by experience level

Entry level$23,500

Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)

Early career$28,500

A few years in (about the 25th percentile)

Experienced$32,500

Mid-career median pay

Senior$37,500

Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)

Top earners$44,000

Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)

Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.

Job outlook

+6.1%

projected change in jobs, 2024–2034

904,300

projected openings per year

Growing about as fast as average

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.

Barista salary by industry

Food Services and Drinking Places

3,351,390 workers

$33,000

Restaurants and Other Eating Places

3,197,640 workers

$32,500

Special Food Services

152,120 workers

$35,500

Food and Beverage Retailers

134,820 workers

$35,500

Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only)

134,090 workers

$35,500

Educational Services

117,240 workers

$36,500

Elementary and Secondary Schools

109,100 workers

$36,500

Educational Services, Local Government Owned

105,960 workers

$36,500

Gasoline Stations and Fuel Dealers

42,690 workers

$34,000

Gasoline Stations

42,650 workers

$34,000

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.

How this role compares

Barista pays 17% below the average across 18 roles in the Food Preparation and Serving job family (family average $40,500).

Similar-paying roles in Food Preparation and Serving

Fast Food and Counter Workers$33,500

Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$34,000

Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$35,500

Food Preparation Worker$36,500

Cooks, Short Order$37,500

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other$38,000

Cooks, Restaurant$40,000

Cooks, All Other$40,500

Waiters and Waitresses$41,500

Bartender$42,000

Careers related to Barista

Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$35,500

Food Preparation Worker$36,500

Food Servers, Nonrestaurant$37,500

Cooks, Short Order$37,500

Waiters and Waitresses$41,500

Cooks, Restaurant$40,000

Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Barista make?

The average base salary for a Barista in the United States is $33,500 per year, or about $16.11 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $28,500 and $37,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Food Preparation and Serving roles?

The Food Preparation and Serving job family averages $40,500 across 18 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

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