Waiters and Waitresses Salary in California
State wage data from the BLS OEWS survey, May 2025.
Median annual
$36,080
Median hourly
$17
Average annual
$44,600
Employed in state
230K
The median annual salary for Waiters and Waitresses in California is $36,080, or about $17 an hour. That is 2% higher than the national median.
Pay in California ranges from $34,320 at the 10th percentile to $68,950 at the 90th percentile. Roughly 230K people work as waiters and waitresses in the state.
Pay distribution in California
10th$34,320
25th$34,900
Median$36,080
75th$39,870
90th$68,950
Salary calculator
- Hourly
- $17.35
- Daily
- $139
- Weekly
- $694
- Bi-weekly
- $1,388
- Monthly
- $3,007
- Annual
- $36,080
$36,080 a year is around the 50th percentile for Waiters and Waitressess in California. The median is $36,080.
Waiters and Waitresses pay by metro area in California
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $41,920 | 13K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $38,860 | 29K |
| Napa, CA | $37,130 | 1.9K |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $36,830 | 3.7K |
| Vallejo, CA | $36,610 | 1.7K |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $35,930 | 1.6K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $35,850 | 85K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $35,850 | 24K |
| Salinas, CA | $35,540 | 3.1K |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $35,260 | 3.5K |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $35,160 | 380 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $35,070 | 13K |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $34,950 | 2.6K |
| Modesto, CA | $34,910 | 2.1K |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $34,910 | 4.5K |
Other jobs in California
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides$35,800
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$31,200
- Retail Salespersons$35,410
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240
- Registered Nurses$97,550
- Cashiers$32,880
- Office Clerks, General$45,010
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330
- General and Operations Managers$105,770
- Software Developers$135,980
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$36,840
- Waiters and Waitresses$35,230
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640
- Security Guards$38,020
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780
- Customer Service Representatives$44,770
- Accountants and Auditors$83,680
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,660
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$69,990