Life As a Barista
Position Description Prepare or serve specialty coffee or other beverages. Serve food such as baked goods or sandwiches to patrons.
What Do Baristas Do On a Daily Basis?
- Check temperatures of freezers, refrigerators, or heating equipment to ensure proper functioning.
- Weigh, grind, or pack coffee beans for customers.
- Clean service or seating areas.
- Take customer orders and convey them to other employees for preparation.
- Take out garbage.
- Prepare or serve menu items, such as sandwiches or salads.
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Barista Needed Skills
Baristas state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
Types of Barista
- Catering Barista
- Coffee Shop Attendant
- Coffee Sommelier
- Barista
- Coffee Bar Attendant
Is There Going to be Demand for Baristas?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 505,200 jobs in the United States for Barista. 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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 113,200 job openings in this field each year.

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
The salary for Baristas ranges between about $17,790 and $30,500 a year.

Baristas who work in District of Columbia, Washington, or California, make the highest salaries.
How much do Baristas make 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?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Baristas:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Point of sale POS software
- Accounting software
How to Become a Barista
Individuals working as a Barista have obtained the following education levels:

How many years of work experience do I need?

Who Employs Baristas?

Baristas work in the following industries:

References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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