Waiter and Waitress Salary in the U.S.
Median annual pay in the U.S.
$35,230
$16.94/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $18,100 | $8.70 |
| 25th percentile | $27,750 | $13.34 |
| Median | $35,230 | $16.94 |
| 75th percentile | $47,110 | $22.65 |
| 90th percentile | $64,720 | $31.12 |
Employment
- Employment in the U.S.
- 2,270,910
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Comparison
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | ||
| 1st | $62,390 | $56,743 2nd |
| Vermont | ||
| 2nd | $59,140 | $60,373 1st |
| Washington | ||
| 3rd | $56,130 | $52,452 3rd |
| Oregon | ||
| 4th | $48,410 | $46,836 4th |
| District of Columbia | ||
| 5th | $47,850 | $43,539 9th |
| New York | ||
| 6th | $47,020 | $43,569 8th |
| New Jersey | ||
| 7th | $44,960 | $41,322 11th |
| Colorado | ||
| 8th | $44,860 | $43,531 10th |
| Virginia | ||
| 9th | $44,760 | $44,271 6th |
| Arizona | ||
| 10th | $43,950 | $43,654 7th |
| Maine | ||
| 11th | $43,370 | $44,688 5th |
| Massachusetts | ||
| 12th | $38,460 | $36,366 21st |
| New Hampshire | ||
| 13th | $38,430 | $36,893 19th |
| Connecticut | ||
| 14th | $37,770 | $36,454 20th |
| Michigan | ||
| 15th | $37,760 | $39,245 16th |
| New Mexico | ||
| 16th | $36,920 | $40,038 13th |
| Delaware | ||
| 17th | $36,880 | $36,951 18th |
| Maryland | ||
| 18th | $36,750 | $35,014 23rd |
| Ohio | ||
| 19th | $36,700 | $39,558 14th |
| Florida | ||
| 20th | $36,150 | $34,957 24th |
| Kansas | ||
| 21st | $36,120 | $40,103 12th |
| California | ||
| 22nd | $36,080 | $32,587 30th |
| Rhode Island | ||
| 23rd | $35,420 | $34,630 26th |
| West Virginia | ||
| 24th | $35,380 | $39,532 15th |
| Pennsylvania | ||
| 25th | $34,690 | $35,553 22nd |
| Nebraska | ||
| 26th | $33,770 | $37,479 17th |
| North Carolina | ||
| 27th | $32,150 | $34,084 27th |
| Illinois | ||
| 28th | $31,200 | $31,213 35th |
| Utah | ||
| 29th | $31,150 | $31,508 33rd |
| North Dakota | ||
| 30th | $30,890 | $34,724 25th |
| Idaho | ||
| 31st | $30,050 | $31,468 34th |
| Wisconsin | ||
| 32nd | $29,670 | $31,532 32nd |
| Kentucky | ||
| 33rd | $29,660 | $32,897 28th |
| Missouri | ||
| 34th | $29,400 | $32,373 31st |
| South Dakota | ||
| 35th | $28,990 | $32,725 29th |
| Indiana | ||
| 36th | $28,480 | $30,516 36th |
| Tennessee | ||
| 37th | $27,760 | $30,217 37th |
| Alabama | ||
| 38th | $26,840 | $30,217 37th |
| Nevada | ||
| 39th | $26,410 | $26,416 40th |
| Alaska | ||
| 40th | $26,310 | $25,704 43rd |
| Minnesota | ||
| 41st | $25,470 | $25,826 41st |
| Arkansas | ||
| 42nd | $24,680 | $28,388 39th |
| Wyoming | ||
| 43rd | $23,920 | $25,806 42nd |
| Montana | ||
| 44th | $23,370 | $24,692 44th |
| Texas | ||
| 45th | $23,240 | $23,945 46th |
| Mississippi | ||
| 46th | $21,370 | $24,576 45th |
| Iowa | ||
| 47th | $21,000 | $23,928 47th |
| Georgia | ||
| 48th | $18,700 | $19,420 50th |
| South Carolina | ||
| 49th | $18,370 | $19,595 49th |
| Oklahoma | ||
| 50th | $17,910 | $20,389 48th |
| Louisiana | ||
| 51st | $15,080 | $17,096 51st |
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Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- Bartender salary in the U.S.
$34,340/year U.S.
- Fast Food and Counter Worker salary in the U.S.
$31,200/year U.S.
- Food Preparation Worker salary in the U.S.
$35,320/year U.S.
- Food Service Manager salary in the U.S.
$69,390/year U.S.
- Chef and Head Cook salary in the U.S.
$62,470/year U.S.
- Concierge salary in the U.S.
$38,950/year U.S.
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- +2.0%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- No formal educational credential
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Last updated