Waiters and Waitresses salary in Texas
Waiters and Waitresses in Texas earn a median of $23,240 a year ($11.18 an hour), based on BLS data for 199,610 workers.
Pay ranges from $17,070 for the lowest-paid 10% to $47,590 for the top 10%. That is 34% lower than the national median of $35,230. Texas ranks 45th of 51 states for waiters and waitresses pay. There are 14 waiters and waitresses per 1,000 jobs here — close to the national average. The average (mean) salary is $29,750, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for waiters and waitresses in Texas
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $17,070 | $8.21 |
| 25th percentile | $17,950 | $8.63 |
| Median | $23,240 | $11.18 |
| 75th percentile | $37,230 | $17.90 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $47,590 | $22.88 |
| Average (mean) | $29,750 | $14.30 |
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 | $1,936.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $968.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $893.85 |
| Weekly | $446.92 |
| Hourly | $11.18 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Waiters and Waitresses salary in cities in Texas
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $28,110 | 20,320 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $27,260 | 19,170 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | $26,290 | 780 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $24,160 | 53,460 |
| Midland, TX | $23,700 | 1,560 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $23,330 | 970 |
| Waco, TX | $23,010 | 1,680 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $22,980 | 840 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | $22,910 | 1,900 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $22,820 | 3,390 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $22,800 | 2,410 |
| Amarillo, TX | $22,710 | 2,040 |
| Odessa, TX | $22,600 | 1,400 |
| Lubbock, TX | $22,560 | 3,040 |
| Abilene, TX | $22,520 | 1,080 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $22,400 | 2,250 |
| Tyler, TX | $22,370 | 1,720 |
| Victoria, TX | $22,330 | 580 |
| Longview, TX | $22,240 | 1,430 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $22,080 | 51,330 |
| Laredo, TX | $22,020 | 1,500 |
| El Paso, TX | $21,870 | 5,810 |
| San Angelo, TX | $21,230 | 810 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $21,010 | 2,430 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $20,650 | 3,700 |
Highest-paying states for waiters and waitresses
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $62,390 |
| Vermont | $59,140 |
| Washington | $56,130 |
| Oregon | $48,410 |
| District of Columbia | $47,850 |
| New York | $47,020 |
| New Jersey | $44,960 |
| Colorado | $44,860 |
| Virginia | $44,760 |
| Arizona | $43,950 |
Related jobs in Texas
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $27,740 | $13.34 |
| Bartender | $22,690 | $10.91 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $29,300 | $14.09 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $36,480 | $17.54 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $34,760 | $16.71 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $30,650 | $14.74 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $21,550 | $10.36 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $28,280 | $13.60 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $27,080 | $13.02 |
| Dishwasher | $29,610 | $14.23 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $35,360 | $17.00 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $56,080 | $26.96 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $25,320 | $12.18 |
| Cooks, All Other | $32,150 | $15.46 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Texas
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 Texas?
The median salary for waiters and waitresses in Texas is $23,240 a year, or $11.18 an hour. Pay ranges from $17,070 for the lowest-paid 10% to $47,590 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid waiters and waitresses make in Texas?
The top 10% of waiters and waitresses in Texas earn at least $47,590 a year. The top 25% earn $37,230 or more.
What is the starting pay for waiters and waitresses in Texas?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $17,070 a year, and a quarter of waiters and waitresses earn $17,950 or less.
How many waiters and waitresses work in Texas?
About 199,610 waiters and waitresses are employed in Texas, not counting the self-employed.