Caterers — Average Employee Salary

The average employee in the caterers industry earns $33,008 per year ($15.87/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.

$33,008
Avg Annual Pay
163,779
Total Employees
13,639
Total Establishments
12
Avg Employees/Business

What Do Caterers Workers Earn?

At $33,008/year (equivalent to $15.87/hour for a full-time worker), caterers wages are below the national average of ~$65,000.

Lower wages in this industry are common in service-oriented or retail-adjacent sectors where entry barriers are lower. This can be an advantage for business owners managing payroll costs, but may contribute to higher turnover.

The typical caterers business employs 12 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.

Wages as a Percentage of Revenue

50.4%

For the average caterers business generating $786K/year with 12 employees at $33,008 each, total payroll represents roughly 50.4% of revenue. This is a labor-intensive industry — payroll is the dominant expense.

What This Means for Business Owners

If you're starting or running a caterersbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:

  • Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $42,910/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
  • Typical team size: 12 employees = ~$396,096/year in base payroll.
  • Hourly equivalent: $15.87/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
  • Revenue needed: With average revenue of $786K/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.

See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.

View full Caterers revenue benchmarks →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do caterers employees make?
The average caterers employee earns $33,008 per year, which is equivalent to $15.87/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
How many people work in the caterers industry?
The caterers industry employs 163,779 workers across 13,639 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 12 employees.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).