Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in Detroit, MI
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earn a median $35,170 a year — 1% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,195 take-home, or $2,433 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median food servers, nonrestaurant salary in Detroit, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,040
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,181
- Medicare (1.45%)$510
- Michigan income tax$1,244
- Take-home pay$29,195
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.25% state
Living in Detroit? City residents also pay Detroit’s city income tax — about $844 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $28,351 ($2,363 a month). Choose “Detroit” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay by experience in Detroit, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $29,510 | $14.19 | $24,888 | $2,074 |
| 25th percentile | $30,810 | $14.81 | $25,877 | $2,156 |
| Median (50th) | $35,170 | $16.91 | $29,195 | $2,433 |
| 75th percentile | $37,300 | $17.93 | $30,816 | $2,568 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $37,840 | $18.19 | $31,227 | $2,602 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $35,170 buys in Detroit, MI
Prices in Detroit, MI are 0.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 5% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median food servers, nonrestaurant's $29,195 take-home pay has the buying power of $29,108 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 Detroit, MI as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.89).
Best-paying cities for food servers, nonrestaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Detroit, MI ranks #9 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 |
| 9 | Detroit, MI | $35,170 | $29,195 | $29,108 |
*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 Detroit, MI?
The median food servers, nonrestaurant salary in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $35,170 a year, or about $16.91 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $30,810 and $37,300.
What is a food servers, nonrestaurant’s take-home pay in Detroit, MI?
On the median $35,170 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $29,195 a year ($2,433 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,244 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Detroit, MI a good place to work as a food servers, nonrestaurant?
Pay here is 1% below the national median of $35,360. Local prices are 0.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $29,108 would in a typical U.S. city. Detroit, MI ranks #9 of 25 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a food servers, nonrestaurant afford rent in Detroit, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Detroit, MI is $1,128 a month ($1,413 for two bedrooms) — 46% of a median food servers, nonrestaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Detroit, MI
- Chef and Head Cook — $60,870
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,570
- Waiter and Waitress — $37,490
- Cooks, Restaurant — $37,410
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $37,360
- Bartender — $36,780
- Dishwasher — $34,350
- Food Preparation Worker — $33,060
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $30,760
- Cooks, Fast Food — $29,810
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $29,590
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $29,290