SALARY · BUSSER

Busser salary in 2026

Median pay, hourly rates, top-paying cities, and live busser jobs from MAJC's coverage area. Numbers below combine U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics with 11 active postings.

Median (national)

$30,830

$14.82/hr · BLS May 2024

Top 10 percent

$44K+

$21.17/hr effective

National pay for bussers

$30,830median, full year

About $14.82/hr. Top 10 percent earn $44K+.

BLS Occupation 35-9011Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants, May 2024. Source

Busser pay by city

MAJC-active metros with at least one disclosed busser salary in the last 14 days. Median is across disclosed postings only; sample size noted per row.

City Active Median posted vs national
Houston 4 — — See 4 →
Miami Beach 2 — — See 2 →
Miami 1 — — See 1 →
Aventura 1 — — See 1 →

How bussers push pay above median

  • Volume + format leverage. High-cover-count concepts (200+ covers, multi-outlet hotels) pay more than small independents — same role, different scope.
  • Specialized knowledge. Wine or spirits certification, specific cuisine training, or technical systems (POS, inventory) all command premiums.
  • Bilingual fluency. English/Spanish in the U.S. hospitality market is consistently worth a meaningful bump.
  • Tenure + leadership. "Lead" or "Head" prefixes typically signal 15–30% over an "Associate" version of the same role.
  • Disclosed-salary postings. Filter MAJC for busser jobs with disclosed pay — those tend to be the ones that compete on number, not vibes.

Top-paying live busser jobs right now

Highest disclosed salaries across 11 active busser postings.

Browse all 11 busser jobs →

Frequently asked

What is the average busser salary?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics median annual pay for dining room and cafeteria attendants is $30,830 ($14.82/hr) as of May 2024. The top 10% earn $44K or more.
How much does a busser make per hour?
BLS reports a median hourly rate of $14.82/hr for dining room and cafeteria attendants. Tipped roles (server, bartender, busser) can substantially exceed the base hourly with gratuities.
Which cities pay bussers the most?
Major metros (Miami, Houston, and high-tourist coastal cities) typically pay bussers 10–20% above the national median. See the city breakdown above for live disclosed rates.
What skills increase busser pay the most?
In hospitality, the biggest pay drivers are: specialized cuisine or beverage knowledge, fluency in a second language (Spanish in the U.S.), high-volume service experience, and proven leadership of a team. POS proficiency (Toast, Tock, Resy) and inventory or P&L responsibility also push pay above median.
How do I find a busser job that pays above median?
Filter MAJC's busser listings by "Salary listed" to surface postings with disclosed pay, then sort by salary. Hotels and high-cover-count restaurants tend to disclose more often than smaller independents. Browse all 11 busser listings below.