Hospitality employment statistics in Miami 2025 show that the city’s sunshine economy runs on service.
From South Beach to Brickell, tens of thousands of workers keep one of America’s top travel destinations thriving year-round.
How Big Is Miami’s Hospitality Workforce?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Miami-Dade Country area supported roughly ~350,000 hospitality jobs in 2025.
Leisure and hospitality is Miami’s fourth-largest employment supersector, supporting roughly 347,000 jobs — more than construction and nearly as many as government positions.
A Strong Labor Market: Miami’s Unemployment at 2.6%
Miami’s broader economy remains tight. According to BLS, Miami-Dade County’s unemployment rate stood at 2.6% in August 2025.
Where the Hospitality Jobs Are
Miami’s hospitality jobs are concentrated in three main areas within the metro region :
- Miami Beach / Downtown–Brickell / Wynwood–Design District (~45% of all jobs)
- Fort Lauderdale / Hollywood / Las Olas (≈31%)
- Palm Beach / Boca Raton–Delray (≈24%)
Tourism and Employment in Miami
- More than one in four Miami jobs are tied to hospitality, tourism, and service-based industries.
- Miami employs travel agents at over four times the national rate — clear proof of the region’s tourism dependence.
- Frontline service jobs continue to define Miami’s labor market, even as management and sales roles lift the region’s overall wage average.
What Hospitality Workers Earn in Miami
The average hourly wage for major hospitality-related roles is as follows:
- Food Preparation & Serving Roles: $17.66/hour
- Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance: $17.55/hour
- Front Desk, Concierge, and Event Staff: $18.50–$23.40/hour
- Hospitality Managers: $64.23/hour on average
It’s important to note: BLS wage data does not include tips.
In Miami’s upscale and nightlife-heavy market, total take-home pay — especially for Servers and Bartenders — can far exceed reported base wages.
What the Pay Landscape Looks Like in 2025
Across the U.S., people working in leisure and hospitality earned an average of $22.95 in August 2025.
Miami’s pay structure looks a bit different — base wages tend to run a little lower, but tips and service-driven bonuses often close the gap.
Income bracket | Estimated workers (2025) | Typical roles |
Under $30,000 | 110,000–125,000 | Quick-Service Workers, Bussers, Dishwashers |
$30,000–$50,000 | 140,000–160,000 | Cooks, Servers, Bartenders, Housekeepers, Concierge |
$50,000–$100,000 | 55,000–75,000 | Supervisors, Event Coordinators, Sommeliers |
$100,000+ | 15,000–25,000 | GMs, Executive Chefs, Directors of Food & Beverage, Regional Managers |
National Hospitality Pay Insights
- In August 2025, the average U.S. hospitality wage stood at $22.95 an hour, making it about 40% below the national private-sector average.
- Wages rose from $22.14 in 2024 to $22.95 in 2025, showing roughly 3.7% annual growth.
- Miami’s average hospitality wage is about $17.70 per hour, roughly $5 below the national figure, though tips often narrow that difference.
Visitor Spending: What Fuels Miami’s Hospitality Engine
Visitor spending in Miami-Dade County highlights just how vital tourism is to the local economy.
- Hotels and short-term stays bring in about $10.1 billion, making lodging the largest single category of visitor spending.
- Food and beverage bring in about $4.6 billion, with dining and nightlife remaining core to Miami’s economy and job market.
- Entertainment rounds out the list at $1.5 billion, driven by cultural attractions, live music, sports, and nightlife events.
Most Visited Neighborhoods and Attractions
Visitor traffic directly shapes Miami’s hospitality workforce — influencing hiring, wages, and business activity across hotels, restaurants, and attractions.
- 28 million visitors came to Miami-Dade County in 2024 — a record high, surpassing 2023’s 26.2 million.
- On average, Miami hosted about 76,700 visitors per day in 2024.
- South Beach leads all Miami attractions with about 10 million annual visitor.
Hospitality Employment Statistics in Miami 2025: Bottom line
Miami’s hospitality industry in 2025 is both massive and essential — employing over 351,000 people, paying a median range of $17–$19/hour, and driving a significant share of the region’s job growth.
Whether you’re a hotelier, restaurateur, or job seeker, the data tells a clear story: hospitality in Miami isn’t just a sector, it’s a way of life.