$ PaycheckDecoded

Waiter and Waitress Salary

Waiters and Waitresses earn a median $35,230 a year nationally. Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

U.S. median
$35,230
$16.94 per hour
Range
$18,100 – $64,720
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
2,270,910
across the U.S.

Waiter and Waitress take-home pay calculator

Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.

Waiter and Waitress
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$30,487
per year · effective tax rate 13.5%
$2,541Monthly
$1,270Twice a month
$1,173Every 2 weeks
$14.66Hourly
  • Federal income tax$2,048
  • Social Security (6.2%)$2,184
  • Medicare (1.45%)$511
  • Texas income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$30,487

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state

Pay by experience

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home (no state tax)
10th percentile (entry level)$18,100$8.70$16,515
25th percentile$27,750$13.34$24,462
Median (50th)$35,230$16.94$30,487
75th percentile$47,110$22.65$40,033
90th percentile (top earners)$64,720$31.12$54,183

Best cities for waiters and waitresses (after tax & cost of living)

#Metro areaMedianTake-homeReal value*Jobs
1Kahului, HI$82,550$62,160$56,8232,700
2Burlington, VT$61,620$50,061$49,5911,510
3Bellingham, WA$56,700$47,738$46,1981,450
4Bremerton, WA$55,270$46,589$44,1161,370
5Mount Vernon, WA$53,060$44,814$43,745830
6Yakima, WA$49,060$41,600$43,5391,000
7Kennewick, WA$51,460$43,528$43,4941,510
8Seattle, WA$57,280$48,204$43,37526,530
9Olympia, WA$53,000$44,766$43,1811,410
10Urban Honolulu, HI$60,250$47,542$42,8468,550
11Spokane, WA$48,560$41,198$41,0563,420
12Pueblo, CO$45,500$37,446$40,807850
13Wenatchee, WA$49,820$42,210$40,644960
14Binghamton, NY$46,600$37,704$40,6011,390
15Syracuse, NY$47,640$38,483$40,1953,430
16Utica, NY$45,950$37,217$40,1571,790
17Portland, OR$54,780$42,232$40,06013,910
18Albany, NY$48,980$39,488$39,6606,310
19Elmira, NY$46,160$37,374$39,592480
20Muskegon, MI$44,920$36,615$39,576930
21Buffalo, NY$46,580$37,689$39,3237,990
22Santa Fe, NM$46,640$38,617$39,0991,680
23Boulder, CO$49,870$40,765$38,7492,670
24Flint, MI$44,030$35,938$38,6282,120
25Medford, OR$50,440$39,125$38,5721,130

*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).

Highest-paying cities

Waiter and Waitress salary by state

StateMedianTake-homeRangeJobs
Hawaii $62,390$49,099 $29,120 – $119,87014,090
Vermont $59,140$48,152 $29,690 – $89,3304,040
Washington $56,130$47,280 $36,710 – $94,93045,400
Oregon $48,410$37,671 $31,200 – $77,62023,040
District of Columbia $47,850$38,922 $36,400 – $100,24011,530
New York $47,020$38,018 $33,540 – $83,210142,940
New Jersey $44,960$37,369 $32,220 – $78,51055,800
Colorado $44,860$36,960 $30,800 – $78,16040,680
Virginia $44,760$36,385 $28,270 – $74,13059,370
Arizona $43,950$36,604 $30,580 – $78,92055,950
Maine $43,370$35,282 $30,490 – $82,9309,090
Massachusetts $38,460$31,380 $31,790 – $62,20054,670
New Hampshire $38,430$33,059 $21,060 – $72,81010,030
Connecticut $37,770$31,754 $34,010 – $72,06022,370
Michigan $37,760$31,166 $25,960 – $64,35065,090
New Mexico $36,920$31,225 $26,670 – $69,41012,740
Delaware $36,880$30,443 $31,200 – $62,0007,580
Maryland $36,750$30,327 $31,200 – $62,21038,120
Ohio $36,700$31,442 $23,820 – $63,74077,250
Florida $36,150$31,227 $27,230 – $63,580207,180
Kansas $36,120$29,987 $17,370 – $62,89019,480
California $36,080$30,269 $34,320 – $68,950229,970
Rhode Island $35,420$29,929 $31,200 – $62,68010,160
West Virginia $35,380$29,663 $20,230 – $60,5608,600
Pennsylvania $34,690$28,988 $18,400 – $61,78082,300
Nebraska $33,770$28,657 $28,080 – $59,42013,310
North Carolina $32,150$27,238 $17,140 – $62,67071,940
Illinois $31,200$25,850 $31,200 – $49,47072,900
Utah $31,150$26,773 $18,550 – $60,32017,790
North Dakota $30,890$27,000 $18,470 – $60,5705,250
Idaho $30,050$25,841 $16,770 – $62,22010,950
Wisconsin $29,670$25,494 $16,830 – $61,77036,220
Kentucky $29,660$25,091 $16,520 – $62,03027,150
Missouri $29,400$25,358 $28,600 – $61,44041,640
South Dakota $28,990$25,473 $27,030 – $37,2907,350
Indiana $28,480$24,253 $17,640 – $48,35043,620
Tennessee $27,760$24,470 $15,080 – $47,66052,120
Alabama $26,840$22,636 $16,550 – $36,09028,760
Nevada $26,410$23,359 $24,960 – $50,14042,520
Alaska $26,310$23,276 $24,770 – $64,0803,830
Minnesota $25,470$22,040 $23,150 – $41,80037,630
Arkansas $24,680$21,184 $23,040 – $43,81017,880
Wyoming $23,920$21,308 $18,000 – $56,2603,620
Montana $23,370$20,514 $21,940 – $45,4207,200
Texas $23,240$20,748 $17,070 – $47,590199,610
Mississippi $21,370$19,085 $15,330 – $39,42015,190
Iowa $21,000$18,757 $15,080 – $47,98022,410
Georgia $18,700$16,662 $15,080 – $46,86076,470
South Carolina $18,370$16,546 $15,080 – $46,82047,200
Oklahoma $17,910$16,098 $15,230 – $47,63027,000
Louisiana $15,080$13,860 $15,080 – $38,06033,870

Frequently asked questions

How much does a waiter and waitress make?

The national median salary for waiters and waitresses is $35,230 a year ($16.94 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $18,100 and the top 10% earn over $64,720. Source: BLS, May 2025.

Which state pays waiters and waitresses the most?

Hawaii has the highest median pay at $62,390. After taxes and local prices, Kahului, HI offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.

How many waiters and waitresses are there in the U.S.?

About 2,270,910 people work as waiters and waitresses nationwide.

All 375 cities