Waiters and Waitresses salary in the U.S.
Waiters and Waitresses in the U.S. earn a median of $35,230 a year ($16.94 an hour), based on BLS data for 2,270,910 workers.
Pay ranges from $18,100 for the lowest-paid 10% to $64,720 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $40,060, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for waiters and waitresses in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $18,100 | $8.70 |
| 25th percentile | $27,750 | $13.34 |
| Median | $35,230 | $16.94 |
| 75th percentile | $47,110 | $22.65 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $64,720 | $31.12 |
| Average (mean) | $40,060 | $19.26 |
Half of waiters and waitresses earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $2,935.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,467.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,355 |
| Weekly | $677.50 |
| Hourly | $16.94 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $62,390 | 14,090 |
| Vermont | $59,140 | 4,040 |
| Washington | $56,130 | 45,400 |
| Oregon | $48,410 | 23,040 |
| District of Columbia | $47,850 | 11,530 |
| New York | $47,020 | 142,940 |
| New Jersey | $44,960 | 55,800 |
| Colorado | $44,860 | 40,680 |
| Virginia | $44,760 | 59,370 |
| Arizona | $43,950 | 55,950 |
| Maine | $43,370 | 9,090 |
| Massachusetts | $38,460 | 54,670 |
| New Hampshire | $38,430 | 10,030 |
| Connecticut | $37,770 | 22,370 |
| Michigan | $37,760 | 65,090 |
| New Mexico | $36,920 | 12,740 |
| Delaware | $36,880 | 7,580 |
| Maryland | $36,750 | 38,120 |
| Ohio | $36,700 | 77,250 |
| Virgin Islands | $36,340 | 690 |
| Florida | $36,150 | 207,180 |
| Kansas | $36,120 | 19,480 |
| California | $36,080 | 229,970 |
| Rhode Island | $35,420 | 10,160 |
| West Virginia | $35,380 | 8,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $34,690 | 82,300 |
| Nebraska | $33,770 | 13,310 |
| North Carolina | $32,150 | 71,940 |
| Illinois | $31,200 | 72,900 |
| Utah | $31,150 | 17,790 |
| North Dakota | $30,890 | 5,250 |
| Idaho | $30,050 | 10,950 |
| Wisconsin | $29,670 | 36,220 |
| Kentucky | $29,660 | 27,150 |
| Missouri | $29,400 | 41,640 |
| South Dakota | $28,990 | 7,350 |
| Indiana | $28,480 | 43,620 |
| Tennessee | $27,760 | 52,120 |
| Alabama | $26,840 | 28,760 |
| Nevada | $26,410 | 42,520 |
| Alaska | $26,310 | 3,830 |
| Minnesota | $25,470 | 37,630 |
| Arkansas | $24,680 | 17,880 |
| Wyoming | $23,920 | 3,620 |
| Montana | $23,370 | 7,200 |
| Texas | $23,240 | 199,610 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,790 | 12,260 |
| Mississippi | $21,370 | 15,190 |
| Iowa | $21,000 | 22,410 |
| Guam | $20,320 | 1,550 |
| Georgia | $18,700 | 76,470 |
| South Carolina | $18,370 | 47,200 |
| Oklahoma | $17,910 | 27,000 |
| Louisiana | $15,080 | 33,870 |
Best-paying metro areas for waiters and waitresses
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $82,550 | 2,700 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $61,620 | 1,510 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $60,250 | 8,550 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $57,280 | 26,530 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $56,730 | 340 |
| Bellingham, WA | $56,700 | 1,450 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $55,270 | 1,370 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $54,870 | 410 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $54,780 | 13,910 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $53,060 | 830 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $53,000 | 1,410 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $51,460 | 1,510 |
| Bend, OR | $50,480 | 1,750 |
| Medford, OR | $50,440 | 1,130 |
| Boulder, CO | $49,870 | 2,670 |
Metro areas with the most waiters and waitresses
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 138,720 | $47,610 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 85,210 | $35,850 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 57,830 | $36,070 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 54,100 | $31,200 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 53,460 | $24,160 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 51,330 | $22,080 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 46,160 | $46,040 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 45,880 | $18,460 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 41,900 | $36,570 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 41,570 | $39,270 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 39,920 | $47,530 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 36,820 | $35,410 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 36,160 | $27,110 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 29,210 | $37,490 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 29,080 | $38,860 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Bartender | $34,340 | $16.51 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,360 | $17.00 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $37,390 | $17.98 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $44,080 | $21.19 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,320 | $16.98 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $30,890 | $14.85 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $33,980 | $16.34 |
| Dishwasher | $34,810 | $16.73 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,450 | $18.01 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $62,470 | $30.03 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $35,880 | $17.25 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $35,840 | $17.23 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-3031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a waiters and waitresses make in the U.S.?
The median salary for waiters and waitresses in the U.S. is $35,230 a year, or $16.94 an hour. Pay ranges from $18,100 for the lowest-paid 10% to $64,720 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid waiters and waitresses make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of waiters and waitresses in the U.S. earn at least $64,720 a year. The top 25% earn $47,110 or more.
What is the starting pay for waiters and waitresses in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $18,100 a year, and a quarter of waiters and waitresses earn $27,750 or less.
How many waiters and waitresses work in the U.S.?
About 2,270,910 waiters and waitresses are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.