SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment. Excludes “Fast Food and Counter Workers” (35-3023).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 35-3031.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $18,100 | $1,508 | $348 | $8.70 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $27,750 | $2,312 | $534 | $13.34 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $35,230 | $2,936 | $678 | $16.94 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $47,110 | $3,926 | $906 | $22.65 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $64,720 | $5,393 | $1,245 | $31.12 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Waiters and Waitresses is $35,230, which is 31% lower. Among the 17 occupations of the field Food Preparation and Serving Related, it ranks number 11 by median pay. With 2,270,910 jobs, it makes up about 146 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($40,060) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Waiters and Waitresses pay by state
The highest median pay was in Hawaii ($62,390), Vermont ($59,140) and Washington ($56,130). The lowest was in Louisiana ($15,080), Oklahoma ($17,910) and South Carolina ($18,370). The most jobs were in California (229,970), Florida (207,180) and Texas (199,610). The occupation is most concentrated in Nevada, where its share of all jobs is 1.9 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 14,090 | $62,390 | $68,260 | $29.99 |
| Vermont | 4,040 | $59,140 | $58,850 | $28.43 |
| Washington | 45,400 | $56,130 | $60,590 | $26.98 |
| Oregon | 23,040 | $48,410 | $52,400 | $23.27 |
| District of Columbia | 11,530 | $47,850 | $59,510 | $23.01 |
| New York | 142,940 | $47,020 | $54,750 | $22.61 |
| New Jersey | 55,800 | $44,960 | $50,260 | $21.62 |
| Colorado | 40,680 | $44,860 | $51,240 | $21.57 |
| Virginia | 59,370 | $44,760 | $46,680 | $21.52 |
| Arizona | 55,950 | $43,950 | $51,170 | $21.13 |
| Maine | 9,090 | $43,370 | $51,260 | $20.85 |
| Massachusetts | 54,670 | $38,460 | $44,480 | $18.49 |
| New Hampshire | 10,030 | $38,430 | $43,380 | $18.48 |
| Connecticut | 22,370 | $37,770 | $46,220 | $18.16 |
| Michigan | 65,090 | $37,760 | $44,910 | $18.16 |
| New Mexico | 12,740 | $36,920 | $43,210 | $17.75 |
| Delaware | 7,580 | $36,880 | $43,070 | $17.73 |
| Maryland | 38,120 | $36,750 | $43,950 | $17.67 |
| Ohio | 77,250 | $36,700 | $42,190 | $17.65 |
| Virgin Islands | 690 | $36,340 | $44,640 | $17.47 |
| Florida | 207,180 | $36,150 | $41,840 | $17.38 |
| Kansas | 19,480 | $36,120 | $39,170 | $17.36 |
| California | 229,970 | $36,080 | $44,600 | $17.35 |
| Rhode Island | 10,160 | $35,420 | $42,740 | $17.03 |
| West Virginia | 8,600 | $35,380 | $38,350 | $17.01 |
| Pennsylvania | 82,300 | $34,690 | $38,110 | $16.68 |
| Nebraska | 13,310 | $33,770 | $39,590 | $16.24 |
| North Carolina | 71,940 | $32,150 | $37,850 | $15.46 |
| Illinois | 72,900 | $31,200 | $35,610 | $15.00 |
| Utah | 17,790 | $31,150 | $37,360 | $14.98 |
| North Dakota | 5,250 | $30,890 | $36,250 | $14.85 |
| Idaho | 10,950 | $30,050 | $35,320 | $14.45 |
| Wisconsin | 36,220 | $29,670 | $34,570 | $14.26 |
| Kentucky | 27,150 | $29,660 | $35,410 | $14.26 |
| Missouri | 41,640 | $29,400 | $38,620 | $14.13 |
| South Dakota | 7,350 | $28,990 | $30,860 | $13.94 |
| Indiana | 43,620 | $28,480 | $31,170 | $13.69 |
| Tennessee | 52,120 | $27,760 | $29,070 | $13.35 |
| Alabama | 28,760 | $26,840 | $27,200 | $12.91 |
| Nevada | 42,520 | $26,410 | $36,870 | $12.70 |
| Alaska | 3,830 | $26,310 | $33,640 | $12.65 |
| Minnesota | 37,630 | $25,470 | $30,060 | $12.25 |
| Arkansas | 17,880 | $24,680 | $29,050 | $11.86 |
| Wyoming | 3,620 | $23,920 | $31,120 | $11.50 |
| Montana | 7,200 | $23,370 | $29,180 | $11.23 |
| Texas | 199,610 | $23,240 | $29,750 | $11.18 |
| Puerto Rico | 12,260 | $22,790 | $29,690 | $10.96 |
| Mississippi | 15,190 | $21,370 | $24,680 | $10.27 |
| Iowa | 22,410 | $21,000 | $26,940 | $10.10 |
| Guam | 1,550 | $20,320 | $21,250 | $9.77 |
| Georgia | 76,470 | $18,700 | $26,610 | $8.99 |
| South Carolina | 47,200 | $18,370 | $25,900 | $8.83 |
| Oklahoma | 27,000 | $17,910 | $25,870 | $8.61 |
| Louisiana | 33,870 | $15,080 | $22,350 | $7.25 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other$35,840 a year
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant$35,360 a year
- Food Preparation Workers$35,320 a year
- Dishwashers$34,810 a year
- Bartenders$34,340 a year
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$33,980 a year
Common questions
How much do Waiters and Waitresses earn in the United States?
The median pay was $35,230 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $18,100 and the highest-paid 10% more than $64,720.
How many people work as Waiters and Waitresses?
About 2,270,910 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.