Waiters and Waitresses salary
Food & hospitality · OCC code 35-3031 · gross annual wage · BLS OEWS May 2024
Waiters and Waitresses in the US earn a median of $33,760 per year (mean $38,360) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey — that is -31.8% versus the $49,500 median for all US jobs, below the US median wage for all jobs. The middle half earn between $25,690 and $45,350; the top 10% earn $62,510 or more. The median hourly wage is $16.23. About 2,302,690 are employed nationally. The highest-paying state is Vermont ($60,910). Wages are gross (pre-tax) and vary by employer, experience and location.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Waiters and Waitresses pay range (national percentiles)
What waiters and waitresses earn across the pay distribution, nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Pay level | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-paid 10%) | $18,500 |
| 25th percentile | $25,690 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $33,760 |
| Mean (average) | $38,360 |
| 75th percentile | $45,350 |
| 90th percentile (highest-paid 10%) | $62,510 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A dash (—) means BLS did not release that figure; a plus (+) means the wage is at or above the BLS top code of $239,200/yr. See what wage percentiles mean or check where your salary ranks.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by state
Median and mean wage for waiters and waitresses in each of the 51 states with published data, highest median first. The national median is $33,760.
| # | State | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $60,910 | $61,610 | 3,730 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $48,570 | $59,710 | 13,830 |
| 3 | Washington | $47,490 | $55,520 | 43,720 |
| 4 | New York | $46,460 | $53,360 | 140,890 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $45,770 | $52,330 | 10,540 |
| 6 | Maine | $44,550 | $52,390 | 8,540 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $42,600 | $43,930 | 11,010 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $39,270 | $44,310 | 10,840 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $38,720 | $49,510 | 56,560 |
| 10 | Virginia | $36,990 | $43,130 | 61,260 |
| 11 | Arizona | $36,730 | $47,660 | 55,010 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $36,440 | $45,590 | 21,720 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $36,390 | $44,550 | 50,160 |
| 14 | Ohio | $36,030 | $38,910 | 76,260 |
| 15 | Michigan | $35,940 | $40,530 | 64,920 |
| 16 | California | $35,290 | $44,250 | 243,300 |
| 17 | Maryland | $35,140 | $41,640 | 37,680 |
| 18 | Colorado | $34,990 | $46,950 | 42,510 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $34,000 | $39,660 | 12,930 |
| 20 | Oregon | $33,930 | $42,530 | 22,920 |
| 21 | Delaware | $33,750 | $39,820 | 8,040 |
| 22 | Kansas | $31,560 | $35,080 | 20,290 |
| 23 | Idaho | $30,540 | $33,780 | 11,590 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $30,440 | $38,420 | 13,370 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $30,320 | $36,650 | 9,190 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $30,300 | $36,610 | 82,920 |
| 27 | Utah | $29,860 | $34,030 | 18,030 |
| 28 | Florida | $29,580 | $39,040 | 208,920 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $29,420 | $35,600 | 5,290 |
| 30 | Illinois | $29,120 | $34,700 | 84,550 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $29,080 | $30,780 | 7,080 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $29,050 | $32,370 | 39,510 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $28,460 | $32,670 | 74,110 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $28,410 | $30,390 | 53,400 |
| 35 | Texas | $27,930 | $31,730 | 210,170 |
| 36 | Indiana | $27,420 | $30,970 | 43,880 |
| 37 | Alaska | $27,370 | $37,710 | 3,980 |
| 38 | Missouri | $26,950 | $32,790 | 43,360 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $26,350 | $29,380 | 17,820 |
| 40 | Iowa | $26,140 | $29,710 | 21,440 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $25,340 | $31,240 | 3,710 |
| 42 | Nevada | $24,960 | $31,660 | 39,910 |
| 43 | Minnesota | $24,470 | $27,970 | 38,540 |
| 44 | Montana | $22,630 | $28,660 | 7,630 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $22,260 | $29,120 | 27,800 |
| 46 | Alabama | $21,920 | $24,420 | 28,540 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $20,340 | $24,490 | 16,160 |
| 48 | Georgia | $20,040 | $27,340 | 71,870 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $19,890 | $27,920 | 26,460 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $18,530 | $24,360 | 43,730 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $16,880 | $24,240 | 33,170 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Highest median: Vermont ($60,910). Lowest: Louisiana ($16,880).
Similar-paying jobs
| Occupation | Median wage | Mean wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waiters and Waitresses (this job) | $33,760 | $38,360 | -31.8% |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,580 | $37,150 | -30.1% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $34,900 | $34,990 | -29.5% |
| Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists | $35,250 | $43,460 | -28.8% |
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | $35,690 | $37,850 | -27.9% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $35,930 | $37,460 | -27.4% |
Retail Salespersons · Home Health and Personal Care Aides · Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists · Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse · Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Frequently asked questions
How much do waiters and waitresses make?
Waiters and Waitresses earn a national median of $33,760 per year (mean $38,360) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey. The middle half earn between $25,690 (25th percentile) and $45,350 (75th percentile); the top 10% earn $62,510 or more and the bottom 10% earn under $18,500. These are gross, pre-tax wages.
What is the hourly wage for waiters and waitresses?
The median hourly wage is $16.23 and the mean is $18.44 (BLS OEWS, May 2024). BLS reports some occupations only as annual wages, in which case hourly figures are shown as a dash.
Which state pays waiters and waitresses the most?
Vermont has the highest median wage for waiters and waitresses at $60,910, versus a national median of $33,760. State pay reflects local cost of living, demand and industry mix. See the full state table on this page.
How many waiters and waitresses are there in the US?
BLS estimates about 2,302,690 waiters and waitresses are employed in the US (OEWS, May 2024). Among the 124 occupations tracked here, this job ranks #122 of 124 by median pay.
Keep exploring
Sources & accuracy
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (OCC 35-3031), gross annual wages, U.S. public domain, retrieved June 2026. OEWS figures are survey estimates and reflect pay before tax. Your actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, industry and location. This is information, not financial or career advice — see our methodology and disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20