Waiter and Waitress Salary in Baltimore, MD
Waiters and Waitresses in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area earn a median $36,170 a year — 3% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,888 take-home, or $2,491 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median waiter and waitress salary in Baltimore, MD. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,160
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,243
- Medicare (1.45%)$524
- Maryland income tax$1,354
- Take-home pay$29,888
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.75% state
Living in Baltimore City? City residents also pay Baltimore City’s city income tax — about $948 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $28,940 ($2,412 a month). Choose “Baltimore City” 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 Baltimore, MD
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,200 | $15.00 | $26,131 | $2,178 |
| 25th percentile | $31,980 | $15.38 | $26,721 | $2,227 |
| Median (50th) | $36,170 | $17.39 | $29,888 | $2,491 |
| 75th percentile | $47,460 | $22.82 | $38,423 | $3,202 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $60,650 | $29.16 | $48,395 | $4,033 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Maryland resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,170 buys in Baltimore, MD
Prices in Baltimore, MD are 4.5% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.18× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median waiter and waitress's $29,888 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,605 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 Baltimore, MD as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.99).
Best-paying cities for waiters and waitresses, adjusted for cost of living
Baltimore, MD ranks #81 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 |
| 81 | Baltimore, MD | $36,170 | $29,888 | $28,605 |
*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.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a waiter and waitress make in Baltimore, MD?
The median waiter and waitress salary in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area is $36,170 a year, or about $17.39 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $31,980 and $47,460.
What is a waiter and waitress’s take-home pay in Baltimore, MD?
On the median $36,170 salary, a single filer living in Maryland takes home about $29,888 a year ($2,491 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,354 in Maryland taxes in 2026.
Is Baltimore, MD a good place to work as a waiter and waitress?
Pay here is 3% above the national median of $35,230. Local prices are 4.5% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,605 would in a typical U.S. city. Baltimore, MD ranks #81 of 148 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a waiter and waitress afford rent in Baltimore, MD?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Baltimore, MD is $1,511 a month ($1,857 for two bedrooms) — 61% of a median waiter and waitress’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Baltimore, MD
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,760
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $37,540
- Cooks, Restaurant — $37,420
- Bartender — $37,360
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $35,710
- Food Preparation Worker — $35,080
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $34,320
- Cooks, Fast Food — $33,290
- Dishwasher — $33,280
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $33,090