Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $33,300 a year — 6% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $27,914 take-home, or $2,326 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median food servers, nonrestaurant salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,816
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,065
- Medicare (1.45%)$483
- Pennsylvania income tax$1,022
- Take-home pay$27,914
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $1,245 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $26,669 ($2,222 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. 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 Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $29,130 | $14.00 | $24,692 | $2,058 |
| 25th percentile | $31,060 | $14.93 | $26,183 | $2,182 |
| Median (50th) | $33,300 | $16.01 | $27,914 | $2,326 |
| 75th percentile | $37,440 | $18.00 | $31,114 | $2,593 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,410 | $21.35 | $36,500 | $3,042 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $33,300 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median food servers, nonrestaurant's $27,914 take-home pay has the buying power of $27,219 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Philadelphia, PA has 1.4× the national concentration of food servers, nonrestaurant jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for food servers, nonrestaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #22 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 |
| 22 | Philadelphia, PA | $33,300 | $27,914 | $27,219 |
*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 Philadelphia, PA?
The median food servers, nonrestaurant salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $33,300 a year, or about $16.01 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $31,060 and $37,440.
What is a food servers, nonrestaurant’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $33,300 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $27,914 a year ($2,326 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,022 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a food servers, nonrestaurant?
Pay here is 6% below the national median of $35,360. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $27,219 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #22 of 25 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a food servers, nonrestaurant afford rent in Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 65% of a median food servers, nonrestaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Philadelphia, PA
- Chef and Head Cook — $65,680
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $46,580
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $38,870
- Cooks, Restaurant — $38,270
- Waiter and Waitress — $36,570
- Bartender — $36,040
- Food Preparation Worker — $34,560
- Dishwasher — $33,270
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $32,220
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $32,220
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $32,220
- Cooks, Fast Food — $32,220