Waiter and Waitress Salary in Birmingham, AL
Waiters and Waitresses in the Birmingham, AL metro area earn a median $27,670 a year — 21% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $23,278 take-home, or $1,940 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median waiter and waitress salary in Birmingham, AL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,157
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,716
- Medicare (1.45%)$401
- Alabama income tax$1,119
- Take-home pay$23,278
Marginal rate: 10% federal + 5.00% state
Living in Birmingham? City residents also pay Birmingham’s Occupational Tax — about $277 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $23,001 ($1,917 a month). Choose “Birmingham” 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 →
Waiter and Waitress pay by experience in Birmingham, AL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $16,840 | $8.10 | $14,901 | $1,242 |
| 25th percentile | $21,160 | $10.17 | $18,242 | $1,520 |
| Median (50th) | $27,670 | $13.30 | $23,278 | $1,940 |
| 75th percentile | $29,810 | $14.33 | $24,907 | $2,076 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $36,540 | $17.57 | $29,978 | $2,498 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Alabama resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $27,670 buys in Birmingham, AL
Prices in Birmingham, AL are 8.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 28% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median waiter and waitress's $23,278 take-home pay has the buying power of $25,400 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Waiter and Waitress jobs are about as common in Birmingham, AL as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.92).
Best-paying cities for waiters and waitresses, adjusted for cost of living
Birmingham, AL ranks #110 of 148 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kahului, HI | $82,550 | $62,160 | $56,823 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $57,280 | $48,204 | $43,375 |
| 3 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $60,250 | $47,542 | $42,846 |
| 4 | Spokane, WA | $48,560 | $41,198 | $41,056 |
| 5 | Syracuse, NY | $47,640 | $38,483 | $40,195 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $54,780 | $42,232 | $40,060 |
| 7 | Albany, NY | $48,980 | $39,488 | $39,660 |
| 8 | Buffalo, NY | $46,580 | $37,689 | $39,323 |
| 110 | Birmingham, AL | $27,670 | $23,278 | $25,400 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 148 metros →
About the job: waiters and waitresses
Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +2.0% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Waiter and Waitress salaries elsewhere in Alabama
- Mobile, AL — $26,860
- Huntsville, AL — $27,990
- Daphne, AL — $27,080
Frequently asked questions
How much does a waiter and waitress make in Birmingham, AL?
The median waiter and waitress salary in the Birmingham, AL metro area is $27,670 a year, or about $13.30 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $21,160 and $29,810.
What is a waiter and waitress’s take-home pay in Birmingham, AL?
On the median $27,670 salary, a single filer living in Alabama takes home about $23,278 a year ($1,940 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,119 in Alabama taxes in 2026.
Is Birmingham, AL a good place to work as a waiter and waitress?
Pay here is 21% below the national median of $35,230. Local prices are 8.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $25,400 would in a typical U.S. city. Birmingham, AL ranks #110 of 148 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a waiter and waitress afford rent in Birmingham, AL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Birmingham, AL is $1,115 a month ($1,234 for two bedrooms) — 57% of a median waiter and waitress’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Birmingham, AL
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,570
- Cooks, Restaurant — $34,340
- Food Preparation Worker — $29,260
- Cooks, Fast Food — $28,320
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $27,220
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,020