Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in Houston, TX
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $29,050 a year — 18% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $25,522 take-home, or $2,127 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median food servers, nonrestaurant salary in Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,306
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,801
- Medicare (1.45%)$421
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$25,522
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay by experience in Houston, TX
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $23,070 | $11.09 | $20,608 | $1,717 |
| 25th percentile | $25,920 | $12.46 | $22,955 | $1,913 |
| Median (50th) | $29,050 | $13.97 | $25,522 | $2,127 |
| 75th percentile | $33,990 | $16.34 | $29,491 | $2,458 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $35,900 | $17.26 | $31,026 | $2,585 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $29,050 buys in Houston, TX
Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median food servers, nonrestaurant's $25,522 take-home pay has the buying power of $25,876 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 less concentrated in Houston, TX than nationally (location quotient 0.56), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for food servers, nonrestaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Houston, TX ranks #25 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 |
| 25 | Houston, TX | $29,050 | $25,522 | $25,876 |
*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.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salaries elsewhere in Texas
- Dallas, TX — $31,160
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food servers, nonrestaurant make in Houston, TX?
The median food servers, nonrestaurant salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $29,050 a year, or about $13.97 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $25,920 and $33,990.
What is a food servers, nonrestaurant’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?
On the median $29,050 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $25,522 a year ($2,127 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a food servers, nonrestaurant?
Pay here is 18% below the national median of $35,360. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $25,876 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #25 of 25 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a food servers, nonrestaurant afford rent in Houston, TX?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 62% of a median food servers, nonrestaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Houston, TX
- Chef and Head Cook — $45,400
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $36,410
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $35,660
- Cooks, Restaurant — $35,050
- Food Preparation Worker — $35,020
- Dishwasher — $28,600
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,570
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $26,730
- Cooks, Fast Food — $23,090
- Bartender — $22,770
- Waiter and Waitress — $22,080
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $21,850