Checked
Waiters and Waitresses Salary
Waiters and Waitresses earn a median $35,230 a year in the U.S., with 2,270,910 jobs (May 2025).
- Median wage
- $35,230 a year
- Employment
- 2,270,910
- Excludes self-employed
- Projected growth
- +2.0%
- 2025 to 2035
- Openings per year
- 423,100
- Average, including replacements
Pay range nationally
The middle half of workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile (shaded)
- Median (50%)
- $35,230 · $16.94 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $40,060 · $19.26 an hour (estimate error ±0.6%)
- 10th percentile
- $18,100 · $8.70 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $27,750 · $13.34 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $47,110 · $22.65 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $64,720 · $31.12 an hour
- Employment
- 2,270,910 (estimate error ±0.7%)
What they do
Standard Occupational Classification definition
Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment. Excludes “Fast Food and Counter Workers” (35-3023).
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035
- Jobs in 2025
- 2.28 million
- Projected for 2035
- 2.33 million
- Change
- +46,500 (+2.0%)
- Openings each year
- 423,100
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 0.1%
Occupational Outlook Handbook (duties, how to become one, work environment)
Highest paying states
Median wage for this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | State | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $62,390 | 14,090 |
| 2 | Vermont | $59,140 | 4,040 |
| 3 | Washington | $56,130 | 45,400 |
| 4 | Oregon | $48,410 | 23,040 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $47,850 | 11,530 |
| 6 | New York | $47,020 | 142,940 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $44,960 | 55,800 |
| 8 | Colorado | $44,860 | 40,680 |
| 9 | Virginia | $44,760 | 59,370 |
| 10 | Arizona | $43,950 | 55,950 |
States with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| State | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| California | 229,970 | $36,080 |
| Florida | 207,180 | $36,150 |
| Texas | 199,610 | $23,240 |
| New York | 142,940 | $47,020 |
| Pennsylvania | 82,300 | $34,690 |
| Ohio | 77,250 | $36,700 |
| Georgia | 76,470 | $18,700 |
| Illinois | 72,900 | $31,200 |
| North Carolina | 71,940 | $32,150 |
| Michigan | 65,090 | $37,760 |
Highest paying metro areas
Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | Metro area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $82,550 | 2,700 |
| 2 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $61,620 | 1,510 |
| 3 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $60,250 | 8,550 |
| 4 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $57,280 | 26,530 |
| 5 | Walla Walla, WA | $56,730 | 340 |
| 6 | Bellingham, WA | $56,700 | 1,450 |
| 7 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $55,270 | 1,370 |
| 8 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $54,870 | 410 |
| 9 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $54,780 | 13,910 |
| 10 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $53,060 | 830 |
| 11 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $53,000 | 1,410 |
| 12 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $51,460 | 1,510 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Visa filings for this occupation
Wages employers offered on Department of Labor filings
- PERM green card (FY 2026 through Q3)195 certified filingsMedian offered wage $27,498
Waiters and Waitresses pay by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Related occupations
Frequently asked questions
- How much do waiters and waitresses make?
- The median wage for waiters and waitresses in the U.S. is $35,230 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $27,750 and $47,110.
- Which state pays waiters and waitresses the most?
- Hawaii has the highest median wage for this occupation at $62,390 a year.
- What is the job outlook for waiters and waitresses?
- BLS projects employment to grow 2.0% from 2025 to 2035, with about 423,100 openings each year on average.
- What education do waiters and waitresses need?
- The typical entry-level education is: no formal educational credential.