Waiters and Waitresses Salary
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · 2.3M employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$35,230
Median hourly
$17
Average annual
$40,060
Typical range
$18,100–$64,720
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Waiters and Waitresses is $35,230 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $17 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment..
Most earn between $18,100 and $64,720 a year. There are roughly 2.3M people employed as waiters and waitresses in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Waiters and Waitresses.
- Hourly
- $16.94
- Daily
- $136
- Weekly
- $678
- Bi-weekly
- $1,355
- Monthly
- $2,936
- Annual
- $35,230
$35,230 a year is around the 50th percentile for Waiters and Waitressess. The median is $35,230.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Hawaii$62,390
- 2Vermont$59,140
- 3Washington$56,130
- 4Oregon$48,410
- 5District of Columbia$47,850
- 6New York$47,020
- 7New Jersey$44,960
- 8Colorado$44,860
- 9Virginia$44,760
- 10Arizona$43,950
- 11Maine$43,370
- 12Massachusetts$38,460
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Kahului-Wailuku, HI$82,550
- 2Burlington-South Burlington, VT$61,620
- 3Urban Honolulu, HI$60,250
- 4Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$57,280
- 5Walla Walla, WA$56,730
- 6Bellingham, WA$56,700
- 7Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$55,270
- 8Longview-Kelso, WA$54,870
- 9Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$54,780
- 10Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$53,060
- 11Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$53,000
- 12Kennewick-Richland, WA$51,460
Related job titles
Employers advertise Waiters and Waitresses roles under these titles.
Related occupations
What a Waiters and Waitresses does
- Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals, and take action to correct any problems.
- Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.
- Prepare checks that itemize and total meal costs and sales taxes.
- Clean tables or counters after patrons have finished dining.
- Prepare tables for meals, including setting up items such as linens, silverware, and glassware.
- Inform customers of daily specials.
- Describe and recommend wines to customers.
- Provide guests with information about local areas, including directions.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Waiters and Waitresses make?
- The median annual wage for Waiters and Waitresses is $35,230 ($17 per hour). Pay ranges from about $18,100 at the 10th percentile to $64,720 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Waiters and Waitresses?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $40,060, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Waiters and Waitressess the most?
- Hawaii has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $62,390.
- Is Waiters and Waitresses a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 2.3M people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Waiters and Waitresses do?
- Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals, and take action to correct any problems.; Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.; Prepare checks that itemize and total meal costs and sales taxes..