The average wage for a barista in California is around $9.62 per hour.
Avg Wage
Baristas earn an average hourly wage of $9.62.
Salaries typically start from $0.13 per hour and go up to $19.23 per hour.
74% below national average Updated in 2023
Barista earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level barista earnings begin at:
$19.23 per hour
$40,000 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level barista earnings begin at:
$14.42 per hour
$30,000 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level barista earnings begin at:
$9.62 per hour
$20,000 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level barista earnings begin at:
$3.46 per hour
$7,200 per year
10th percentile
Starting level barista earnings begin at:
$0.13 per hour
$280 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Barista salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $28,910 |
| Alaska | $28,089 |
| Hawaii | $26,871 |
| Oregon | $26,020 |
| New York | $25,680 |
| Washington | $25,460 |
| Massachusetts | $25,080 |
| Nevada | $24,190 |
| Rhode Island | $24,030 |
| Vermont | $24,010 |
| Connecticut | $23,960 |
| North Dakota | $23,850 |
| Colorado | $23,330 |
| Florida | $23,264 |
| Michigan | $22,870 |
| Minnesota | $22,350 |
| Illinois | $22,324 |
| Maine | $22,150 |
| Maryland | $22,050 |
| New Hampshire | $21,930 |
| Arizona | $21,404 |
| Iowa | $21,303 |
| Missouri | $21,300 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $21,280 |
| Ohio | $21,150 |
| Kansas | $21,033 |
| Georgia | $20,781 |
| Idaho | $20,712 |
| Virginia | $20,700 |
| Pennsylvania | $20,690 |
| Nebraska | $20,500 |
| South Dakota | $20,430 |
| West Virginia | $20,370 |
| Utah | $20,210 |
| New Jersey | $20,170 |
| Montana | $20,120 |
| California | $20,000 |
| Delaware | $19,990 |
| Wyoming | $19,640 |
| Guam | $19,580 |
| North Carolina | $19,570 |
| New Mexico | $19,370 |
| Indiana | $19,311 |
| Tennessee | $19,270 |
| Arkansas | $19,174 |
| South Carolina | $19,150 |
| Alabama | $19,093 |
| Wisconsin | $18,850 |
| Oklahoma | $18,760 |
| Mississippi | $18,720 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,120 |
| Louisiana | $18,110 |
| Kentucky | $17,712 |
| Texas | $16,000 |
How do barista salaries compare to similar careers?
Baristas earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than food servers but more than cashiers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Food server salary | $19K |
| Barista salary | $20K |
| Cashier salary | $12K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)