Life As a Barista
Job Description: Prepare or serve specialty coffee or other beverages. Serve food such as baked goods or sandwiches to patrons.
List of Barista Job Duties
- Stock customer service stations with paper products or beverage preparation items.
- Check temperatures of freezers, refrigerators, or heating equipment to ensure proper functioning.
- Serve prepared foods, such as muffins, biscotti, or bagels.
- Slice fruits, vegetables, desserts, or meats for use in food service.
- Clean or sanitize work areas, utensils, or equipment.
- Take out garbage.
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What Every Barista Should Know
Below is a list of the skills most Baristas say are important on the job.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Related Job Titles
- Gourmet Coffee Attendant
- Sales Associate
- Catering Barista
- Bar Manager
- Coffee Maker
Job Demand for Baristas
In the United States, there were 505,200 jobs for Barista in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 4.6% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 23,100 new jobs for Barista by 2026. The BLS estimates 113,200 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Barista are Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Minnesota, or Ohio. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Barista Salary
Baristas make between $17,790 and $30,500 a year.

Baristas who work in District of Columbia, Washington, or California, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Baristas in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $20,180 |
Alaska | $24,750 |
Arizona | $25,530 |
Arkansas | $22,030 |
California | $28,120 |
Colorado | $24,300 |
Connecticut | $25,860 |
Delaware | $21,690 |
District of Columbia | $31,780 |
Florida | $20,970 |
Georgia | $19,830 |
Hawaii | $25,060 |
Idaho | $21,920 |
Illinois | $23,830 |
Indiana | $19,600 |
Iowa | $21,090 |
Kansas | $19,300 |
Kentucky | $20,150 |
Louisiana | $18,420 |
Maine | $23,040 |
Maryland | $24,010 |
Massachusetts | $26,780 |
Michigan | $22,870 |
Minnesota | $23,290 |
Mississippi | $18,720 |
Missouri | $21,300 |
Montana | $21,320 |
Nebraska | $21,690 |
Nevada | $25,440 |
New Hampshire | $23,440 |
New Jersey | $21,800 |
New Mexico | $20,180 |
New York | $25,680 |
North Carolina | $20,980 |
North Dakota | $23,850 |
Ohio | $22,340 |
Oklahoma | $19,520 |
Oregon | $26,020 |
Pennsylvania | $20,690 |
Rhode Island | $24,610 |
South Carolina | $20,010 |
South Dakota | $21,860 |
Tennessee | $19,270 |
Texas | $21,140 |
Utah | $21,900 |
Vermont | $25,490 |
Virginia | $21,640 |
Washington | $27,720 |
West Virginia | $21,850 |
Wisconsin | $19,890 |
Wyoming | $20,840 |
What Tools do Baristas Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Baristas may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Point of sale POS software
- Accounting software
How to Become a Barista
Learn what Barista education requirements there are.

How many years of work experience do I need?

Baristas Sector

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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