How to become a Barista

Also called: Barista supervisor, Head barista, Senior barista, Barista Supervisor/ Senior Barista, Ÿ Barista supervisor, Ÿ Head barista, Ÿ Senior barista

Barista prepares specialised types of coffee, according to their organisation’s unique recipes and procedures, using professional equipment in a cafe, bar, hotel or other hospitality outlets. He/she serves the drinks along with pastries and cookies. He/she keeps the serving area neat and clean, keeps equipment and services fully operational by following operating instructions. He/she also troubleshoots breakdowns, and maintains inventories by replenishing coffee bean/tea bag supplies, pastries and cookies for coffee bar.

Main tasks

• Taking beverage orders from serving staff or directly from patrons
• Preparing and serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at a bar
• Washing used glassware, cleaning and maintaining bar service areas, tea and coffee-making areas and equipment such as espresso machines
• Collecting payment for sales, operating cash registers and balancing cash receipts
• Assisting in keeping bar properly stocked and arranging bottles and glasses

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $24,768 a year. The middle half earn $16,800 to $31,200 a year.
• Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Related jobs

• Bartender/Mixologist
• Captain waiter/Waiter supervisor
• Waiter
• Sommelier
• Bar/Lounge hostess

Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz

Questions people ask

How much does a Barista earn in Singapore?

Median full-time pay is $24,768 a year (Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg)). The middle half earn $16,800 to $31,200.

Will AI change the work of a Barista?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

• Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg): Resident Occupational Wages (Occupational Wage Survey) (June 2024 (data.gov.sg update 2026-04-01)), Singapore Open Data Licence v1.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
• International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

Updated 4 October 2026