Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in New York, NY
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area earn a median $39,120 a year — 11% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $32,097 take-home, or $2,675 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median food servers, nonrestaurant salary in New York, NY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,514
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,425
- Medicare (1.45%)$567
- New York income tax$1,515
- Take-home pay$32,097
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.40% state
Living in New York City? City residents also pay New York City’s city income tax — about $1,092 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $31,005 ($2,584 a month). Choose “New York City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro spans New York, New Jersey. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay by experience in New York, NY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $33,250 | $15.99 | $27,698 | $2,308 |
| 25th percentile | $36,480 | $17.54 | $30,119 | $2,510 |
| Median (50th) | $39,120 | $18.81 | $32,097 | $2,675 |
| 75th percentile | $47,930 | $23.04 | $38,701 | $3,225 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $52,080 | $25.04 | $41,811 | $3,484 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, New York resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $39,120 buys in New York, NY
Prices in New York, NY are 12.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.49× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median food servers, nonrestaurant's $32,097 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,515 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant jobs are about as common in New York, NY as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.08).
Best-paying cities for food servers, nonrestaurant, adjusted for cost of living
New York, NY ranks #13 of 25 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $44,710 | $36,746 | $31,783 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $40,640 | $34,834 | $31,345 |
| 3 | Denver, CO | $39,850 | $33,154 | $31,342 |
| 4 | St. Louis, MO | $34,340 | $29,096 | $30,599 |
| 5 | Tampa, FL | $34,480 | $29,885 | $29,621 |
| 6 | Columbus, OH | $32,250 | $27,988 | $29,317 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $35,690 | $30,173 | $29,205 |
| 8 | Cincinnati, OH | $32,070 | $27,849 | $29,201 |
| 13 | New York, NY | $39,120 | $32,097 | $28,515 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 25 metros →
About the job: food servers, nonrestaurant
Serve food to individuals outside of a restaurant environment, such as in hotel rooms, hospital rooms, residential care facilities, or cars.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +4.5% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food servers, nonrestaurant make in New York, NY?
The median food servers, nonrestaurant salary in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area is $39,120 a year, or about $18.81 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,480 and $47,930.
What is a food servers, nonrestaurant’s take-home pay in New York, NY?
On the median $39,120 salary, a single filer living in New York takes home about $32,097 a year ($2,675 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,515 in New York taxes in 2026.
Is New York, NY a good place to work as a food servers, nonrestaurant?
Pay here is 11% above the national median of $35,360. Local prices are 12.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,515 would in a typical U.S. city. New York, NY ranks #13 of 25 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a food servers, nonrestaurant afford rent in New York, NY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in New York, NY is $2,378 a month ($2,697 for two bedrooms) — 89% of a median food servers, nonrestaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in New York, NY
- Chef and Head Cook — $71,780
- Bartender — $61,220
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $48,690
- Waiter and Waitress — $47,610
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $46,870
- Cooks, Restaurant — $43,740
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $36,980
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $36,500
- Cooks, Fast Food — $35,780
- Food Preparation Worker — $35,670
- Dishwasher — $35,670
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $35,420