Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in St. Louis, MO
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn a median $34,340 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,096 take-home, or $2,425 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median food servers, nonrestaurant salary in St. Louis, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,941
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,129
- Medicare (1.45%)$498
- Missouri income tax$677
- Take-home pay$29,096
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.70% state
Living in St. Louis? City residents also pay St. Louis’s Earnings Tax — about $343 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $28,752 ($2,396 a month). Choose “St. Louis” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The St. Louis, MO-IL metro spans Missouri, Illinois. 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 St. Louis, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,030 | $14.92 | $26,592 | $2,216 |
| 25th percentile | $31,230 | $15.01 | $26,743 | $2,229 |
| Median (50th) | $34,340 | $16.51 | $29,096 | $2,425 |
| 75th percentile | $36,550 | $17.57 | $30,767 | $2,564 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $39,510 | $19.00 | $33,007 | $2,751 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $34,340 buys in St. Louis, MO
Prices in St. Louis, MO are 4.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median food servers, nonrestaurant's $29,096 take-home pay has the buying power of $30,599 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
St. Louis, MO has 1.3× 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
St. Louis, MO ranks #4 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 |
*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 St. Louis, MO?
The median food servers, nonrestaurant salary in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $34,340 a year, or about $16.51 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $31,230 and $36,550.
What is a food servers, nonrestaurant’s take-home pay in St. Louis, MO?
On the median $34,340 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $29,096 a year ($2,425 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $677 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is St. Louis, MO a good place to work as a food servers, nonrestaurant?
Pay here is 3% below the national median of $35,360. Local prices are 4.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $30,599 would in a typical U.S. city. St. Louis, MO ranks #4 of 25 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a food servers, nonrestaurant afford rent in St. Louis, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in St. Louis, MO is $989 a month ($1,211 for two bedrooms) — 41% of a median food servers, nonrestaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in St. Louis, MO
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,520
- Cooks, Restaurant — $37,690
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $36,200
- Food Preparation Worker — $32,400
- Dishwasher — $32,180
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $31,930
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $31,260
- Waiter and Waitress — $31,200
- Bartender — $31,200
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $31,200
- Cooks, Fast Food — $30,860