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Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

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.
▲4.4%
Pay trend: The median for waiters and waitresses in the U.S. rose from $33,760 (May 2024) to $35,230 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 2.0%.

What waiters and waitresses do

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)
Openings per year
423,100

Employment of waiters and waitresses is projected to grow 2.0% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 423,100 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

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
2Seattle, WA$57,280$48,204$43,37526,530
3Urban Honolulu, HI$60,250$47,542$42,8468,550
4Spokane, WA$48,560$41,198$41,0563,420
5Syracuse, NY$47,640$38,483$40,1953,430
6Portland, OR$54,780$42,232$40,06013,910
7Albany, NY$48,980$39,488$39,6606,310
8Buffalo, NY$46,580$37,689$39,3237,990
9Boulder, CO$49,870$40,765$38,7492,670
10Fort Collins, CO$47,360$38,858$38,4252,740
11Phoenix, AZ$47,530$39,391$38,12739,920
12Rochester, NY$45,310$36,737$37,8596,070
13Colorado Springs, CO$46,230$38,000$37,7334,330
14Grand Rapids, MI$42,930$35,100$36,7378,080
15Portland, ME$44,070$35,797$35,1445,070
16Canton, OH$36,210$31,061$34,7422,690
17Wichita, KS$37,300$30,869$34,7054,570
18Kiryas Joel, NY$46,950$37,966$34,6973,930
19Washington, DC$46,040$37,577$34,51146,160
20New York, NY$47,610$38,461$34,168138,720
21Toledo, OH$36,140$31,007$33,9044,600
22Dayton, OH$36,600$31,364$33,8364,700
23Albuquerque, NM$38,050$32,084$33,5805,880
24Columbus, OH$37,490$32,055$33,57615,900
25Youngstown, OH$33,910$29,277$33,4992,580

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

Highest-paying cities

Waiter and Waitress salary by state

StateMedian1-yr changeTake-homeRangeJobs
Hawaii $62,390+28.5%$49,099 $29,120 – $119,87014,090
Vermont $59,140−2.9%$48,152 $29,690 – $89,3304,040
Washington $56,130+18.2%$47,280 $36,710 – $94,93045,400
Oregon $48,410+42.7%$37,671 $31,200 – $77,62023,040
District of Columbia $47,850+4.5%$38,922 $36,400 – $100,24011,530
New York $47,020+1.2%$38,018 $33,540 – $83,210142,940
New Jersey $44,960+16.1%$37,369 $32,220 – $78,51055,800
Colorado $44,860+28.2%$36,960 $30,800 – $78,16040,680
Virginia $44,760+21.0%$36,385 $28,270 – $74,13059,370
Arizona $43,950+19.7%$36,604 $30,580 – $78,92055,950
Maine $43,370−2.6%$35,282 $30,490 – $82,9309,090
Massachusetts $38,460+5.7%$31,380 $31,790 – $62,20054,670
New Hampshire $38,430−2.1%$33,059 $21,060 – $72,81010,030
Connecticut $37,770+3.6%$31,754 $34,010 – $72,06022,370
Michigan $37,760+5.1%$31,166 $25,960 – $64,35065,090
New Mexico $36,920+21.3%$31,225 $26,670 – $69,41012,740
Delaware $36,880+9.3%$30,443 $31,200 – $62,0007,580
Maryland $36,750+4.6%$30,327 $31,200 – $62,21038,120
Ohio $36,700+1.9%$31,442 $23,820 – $63,74077,250
Florida $36,150+22.2%$31,227 $27,230 – $63,580207,180
Kansas $36,120+14.4%$29,987 $17,370 – $62,89019,480
California $36,080+2.2%$30,269 $34,320 – $68,950229,970
Rhode Island $35,420−16.9%$29,929 $31,200 – $62,68010,160
West Virginia $35,380+16.7%$29,663 $20,230 – $60,5608,600
Pennsylvania $34,690+14.5%$28,988 $18,400 – $61,78082,300
Nebraska $33,770−0.7%$28,657 $28,080 – $59,42013,310
North Carolina $32,150+13.0%$27,238 $17,140 – $62,67071,940
Illinois $31,200+7.1%$25,850 $31,200 – $49,47072,900
Utah $31,150+4.3%$26,773 $18,550 – $60,32017,790
North Dakota $30,890+5.0%$27,000 $18,470 – $60,5705,250
Idaho $30,050−1.6%$25,841 $16,770 – $62,22010,950
Wisconsin $29,670+2.1%$25,494 $16,830 – $61,77036,220
Kentucky $29,660+33.2%$25,091 $16,520 – $62,03027,150
Missouri $29,400+9.1%$25,358 $28,600 – $61,44041,640
South Dakota $28,990−0.3%$25,473 $27,030 – $37,2907,350
Indiana $28,480+3.9%$24,253 $17,640 – $48,35043,620
Tennessee $27,760−2.3%$24,470 $15,080 – $47,66052,120
Alabama $26,840+22.4%$22,636 $16,550 – $36,09028,760
Nevada $26,410+5.8%$23,359 $24,960 – $50,14042,520
Alaska $26,310−3.9%$23,276 $24,770 – $64,0803,830
Minnesota $25,470+4.1%$22,040 $23,150 – $41,80037,630
Arkansas $24,680−6.3%$21,184 $23,040 – $43,81017,880
Wyoming $23,920−5.6%$21,308 $18,000 – $56,2603,620
Montana $23,370+3.3%$20,514 $21,940 – $45,4207,200
Texas $23,240−16.8%$20,748 $17,070 – $47,590199,610
Mississippi $21,370+5.1%$19,085 $15,330 – $39,42015,190
Iowa $21,000−19.7%$18,757 $15,080 – $47,98022,410
Georgia $18,700−6.7%$16,662 $15,080 – $46,86076,470
South Carolina $18,370−0.9%$16,546 $15,080 – $46,82047,200
Oklahoma $17,910−10.0%$16,098 $15,230 – $47,63027,000
Louisiana $15,080−10.7%$13,860 $15,080 – $38,06033,870

Related jobs

JobMedian salaryEducationGrowth 2025–35
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant$35,360No formal educational credential+4.5%
Bartender$34,340No formal educational credential+5.0%
Fast Food and Counter Worker$31,200No formal educational credential+5.8%
Food Preparation Worker$35,320No formal educational credential-3.0%
Dishwasher$34,810No formal educational credential-1.0%
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other$35,840No formal educational credential+5.5%
Cooks, Short Order$35,880No formal educational credential-5.2%
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper$33,980No formal educational credential+5.3%
Cooks, Restaurant$37,390No formal educational credential+12.1%
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$37,450No formal educational credential+2.8%

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 148 cities