BLS figures put the median pay for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop in Tucson, AZ, at $33,560 a year. It runs 19% above the national median of $28,220 for this occupation — pay here is notably stronger than the U.S. average. The middle 50% land between $30,750 and $35,950 — a 5,200 range that reflects differences in seniority, employer type, and specialization. The average (mean) of $35,600 comes in higher than the median, which usually means a share of high earners is pulling the average up. The catch: Tucson is roughly in line with the national cost of living (cost index 100 against a 100 baseline), so that headline number buys less than it would elsewhere. On an hourly basis that is about $16.14, useful for comparing contract or part-time offers.

For context, the national median for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop across all U.S. metros in our data is $28,220.