Image that illustrates Café assistant

Café assistant

25 800 kr

Café and pastry shop assistants

23 500 - 26 100 kr / month

Women earn 104% of what men do.

Hotell, restaurang

What will be the salary after tax?

Salary progression Café assistant

Average salary 25 800 kr
Males 25 000 kr
Females 26 100 kr

What does a Café Assistant do? – Tasks and work environment

A café assistant mainly works with welcoming and serving guests at cafés and pastry shops. Common tasks include preparing and serving coffee, tea, baked goods, and simple meals, as well as handling payments and maintaining cleanliness. The role often involves basic cooking, dishwashing, and restocking. The work environment is characterized by a fast pace, especially during rush hours, and excellent service skills are essential to create a pleasant atmosphere for guests. Work is often team-based with varying hours, including evenings and weekends.

Salary development over time

The salary development for café assistants has fluctuated over the past three years. In 2022, the average salary was 24,900 SEK per month. In 2023, the salary increased to 26 800, a rise of about 7.6%. In 2024, the average salary has been adjusted to 25 800, a decrease of approximately 3.7% compared to the previous year. These fluctuations can partly be explained by changes in demand, labor market supply, and collective agreement adjustments. Despite a slight decline last year, the salary level remains higher than two years ago, reflecting a generally stable labor market for the profession, although wage pressure is limited.

Café Assistant Salary – Complete Overview

  • Average salary: 25 800 SEK/month
  • Lowest salary: 23,500 SEK/month (female, pre-secondary education)
  • Highest salary: 26,100 SEK/month (private sector employee, both genders)
  • Hourly wage: 155 SEK
  • Gender differences: Women earn 104% of what men do (men 25,000 SEK, women 26,100 SEK)
  • Regional differences: Data on salary differences between regions is unavailable

Education and qualifications

To work as a café assistant, no formal education is usually required, but a high school diploma in hospitality and food is advantageous. Employers value service skills, flexibility, and the ability to work under pressure. Practical experience from similar work environments is often a plus, and many workplaces offer internal training.

  • High school education: Restaurant and Food Program (3 years, not mandatory but beneficial)
  • On-the-job training: Common for gaining insight into the profession
  • Internal training: Often provided by the employer
  • Prerequisites: Good service skills and stress tolerance
  • Courses: Hygiene training and cash handling can be advantageous

Many café assistants quickly take on responsibilities such as onboarding new colleagues and can become valued mentors at their workplace. Showing initiative and helpfulness in daily tasks often opens doors to more varied duties and increased trust from employers.

– statsskuld.se

Common benefits and compensations

Typical benefits for café assistants include overtime pay for evening and weekend work, staff discounts on food and drinks, and opportunities for further training within the company. In some cases, wellness allowances or subsidized meals are offered. Vacation pay and collective insurance schemes are also common.

Competition and challenges

The labor market for café assistants is characterized by high competition and a certain oversupply of job seekers. According to the Employment Service's forecasts, job opportunities are limited, and demand is expected to remain unchanged over the next five years. This makes it difficult to secure permanent employment, especially without prior experience. Many positions are also temporary, which can lead to job insecurity. The profession also demands high flexibility regarding working hours and tasks, which can be challenging for some.

Tips for those wanting to become a Café Assistant

To succeed as a café assistant, it is beneficial to have a positive attitude and be service-oriented, as guest interaction is central to the profession. Showing flexibility and being ready to step in when needed increases chances for extra work and longer employment. Accuracy is important in cash handling and hygiene routines, while stress tolerance helps during busy shifts. Being able to quickly collaborate with colleagues and being helpful facilitates daily work. Good communication skills are an advantage both with customers and colleagues, and an open mind to learning new tasks is appreciated by employers.

Key facts about Café Assistants

  • Education level: No formal education required, high school diploma advantageous
  • Work environment: Fast-paced, often evening and weekend work
  • Average salary: 25 800 SEK/month
  • Demand: Limited job opportunities, oversupply of labor
  • Number of job openings: 123 advertised positions nationwide

Career paths and future prospects

After three to five years as a café assistant, opportunities may exist to advance to team leader, shift supervisor, or café manager, especially within larger chains. For those seeking further development, options include training as a barista, pastry chef, or progressing to other roles within the restaurant industry. However, according to the Employment Service's forecast, demand for café and pastry assistants is expected to remain unchanged over the next five years, and the recruitment situation is characterized by an oversupply of job seekers. This means competition for positions is high, and further education or specialization can improve chances for more qualified roles.

Frequently asked questions about Café Assistants

  • What does a Café Assistant earn?
    - The average salary for a café assistant is 25 800 SEK per month.
  • What are the gender differences in salary?
    - Women earn on average 26,100 SEK and men 25,000 SEK, which means women have a higher average salary.
  • Is education required to become a café assistant?
    - No formal education is required, but a high school diploma in hospitality and food is advantageous.
  • What are the working hours for café assistants?
    - Working hours can vary and often include evenings and weekends.
  • Are there many job openings for café assistants?
    - Currently, there are 123 job postings nationwide for this profession.
  • What are the future prospects for café assistants?
    - The Employment Service estimates that demand will remain unchanged over the next five years.
  • What is the lowest and highest salary for a café assistant?
    - The lowest salary is 23,500 SEK (female, pre-secondary education), and the highest is 26,100 SEK (private sector employee).

Who has the highest salary?
The highest salary for a Café assistant is 26100 kr. Both men and women in this profession have the same highest salary and work in the Privately employed officials.
Who has the lowest salary?
The lowest salary for a Café assistant is 23500 kr. This salary belongs to a woman also working in the Multiple sectors. The lowest salary for a man in this profession is 25000 kr.
Salary distributed by age and sector
Age Women's salary as a percentage of men's Base salary Monthly salary
18-24 111% 23200 kr 24500 kr
25-34 26800 kr 27800 kr
Snitt 104% 24600 kr 25800 kr
Salary per sector
Salary based on education
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About the data

All information displayed on this page is based on data from the Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics (SCB), the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish employment agency. Learn more about our data and data sources here.

All figures are gross salaries, meaning salaries before tax. The average salary, or mean salary, is calculated by adding up the total salary for all individuals within the profession and dividing it by the number of individuals. For specific job categories, we have also considered various criteria such as experience and education.

Profession Café assistant has the SSYK code 9413, which we use to match against the SCB database to obtain the latest salary statistics.

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