Average Salary for Waiters and Waitresses
SOC 35-3031 · Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Waiters and Waitresses in the United States is $33,760 ($16.23/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $18,500 at the 10th percentile to $62,510 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 2,302,690 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 80.2% since 2014.
Median Annual
$33,760
Mean Annual
$38,360
10th Pct
$18,500
75th Pct
$45,350
Employment
2,302,690
Salary Distribution
$19k
10th
$26k
25th
$34k
Median
$45k
75th
$63k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $71,920 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $66,350 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $48,760 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $48,110 |
| Syracuse, NY | $47,830 |
| Binghamton, NY | $47,650 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $47,560 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $47,380 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $47,080 |
| Kingston, NY | $46,860 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $46,820 |
| Ithaca, NY | $46,610 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $46,610 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $46,390 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $46,280 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Vermont | $60,910 |
| Hawaii | $48,570 |
| Washington | $47,490 |
| New York | $46,460 |
| District of Columbia | $45,770 |
| Maine | $44,550 |
| Rhode Island | $42,600 |
| New Hampshire | $39,270 |
| New Jersey | $38,720 |
| Virginia | $36,990 |
| Arizona | $36,730 |
| Connecticut | $36,440 |
| Massachusetts | $36,390 |
| Ohio | $36,030 |
| Michigan | $35,940 |
| California | $35,290 |
| Maryland | $35,140 |
| Colorado | $34,990 |
| Nebraska | $34,000 |
| Oregon | $33,930 |
| Delaware | $33,750 |
| Virgin Islands | $32,230 |
| Kansas | $31,560 |
| Idaho | $30,540 |
| New Mexico | $30,440 |
| West Virginia | $30,320 |
| Pennsylvania | $30,300 |
| Utah | $29,860 |
| Florida | $29,580 |
| North Dakota | $29,420 |
| Illinois | $29,120 |
| South Dakota | $29,080 |
| Wisconsin | $29,050 |
| North Carolina | $28,460 |
| Tennessee | $28,410 |
| Texas | $27,930 |
| Indiana | $27,420 |
| Alaska | $27,370 |
| Missouri | $26,950 |
| Arkansas | $26,350 |
| Iowa | $26,140 |
| Wyoming | $25,340 |
| Nevada | $24,960 |
| Minnesota | $24,470 |
| Montana | $22,630 |
| Kentucky | $22,260 |
| Alabama | $21,920 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,290 |
| Guam | $20,480 |
| Mississippi | $20,340 |
| Georgia | $20,040 |
| Oklahoma | $19,890 |
| South Carolina | $18,530 |
| Louisiana | $16,880 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Waiters and Waitresses broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Finance and Insurance | $59,340 |
| Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (5221 and 5223 only) | $59,320 |
| Credit Intermediation and Related Activities | $59,320 |
| Florists | $45,240 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $42,600 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $42,600 |
| Land Subdivision | $40,540 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $40,540 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $40,070 |
| Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $40,070 |
| Grantmaking and Giving Services | $39,780 |
| Temporary Help Services | $39,210 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | $39,180 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | $39,180 |
| Technical and Trade Schools | $38,780 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $37,840 |
| Hospitals | $37,840 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $37,800 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $37,800 |
| Employment Services | $37,630 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $37,440 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $37,440 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $37,110 |
| Other Personal Services | $37,100 |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events | $36,950 |
| Personal and Laundry Services | $36,860 |
| Book Retailers and News Dealers | $36,770 |
| Special Food Services | $36,620 |
| Beverage Manufacturing | $36,480 |
| Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | $36,480 |
| Manufacturing | $36,120 |
| Sporting Goods Retailers | $36,100 |
| Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies Retailers | $36,020 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $35,720 |
| Personal Care Services | $35,620 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers | $35,590 |
| Other Support Services | $35,130 |
| Educational Services | $35,040 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water | $34,880 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $34,850 |
| Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $34,780 |
| General Merchandise Retailers | $34,750 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $34,630 |
| Educational Services | $34,630 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters | $34,480 |
| Traveler Accommodation | $34,450 |
| Accommodation | $34,440 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | $34,380 |
| Amusement Parks and Arcades | $34,350 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $34,350 |
| Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | $34,350 |
| Individual and Family Services | $34,080 |
| Performing Arts Companies | $34,080 |
| Social Assistance | $34,080 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $33,990 |
| Gambling Industries | $33,810 |
| Full-Service Restaurants | $33,780 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $33,760 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $33,750 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | $33,710 |
| Food Services and Drinking Places | $33,610 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation | $33,560 |
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places | $33,510 |
| Civic and Social Organizations | $33,390 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $33,300 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $33,280 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers | $33,090 |
| Casino Hotels | $32,900 |
| Other Miscellaneous Retailers | $32,640 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | $32,640 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $32,610 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $32,400 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) | $32,170 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | $31,820 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | $31,730 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers | $31,540 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers | $31,470 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) | $31,250 |
| Wholesale Trade | $31,240 |
| Religious Organizations | $31,220 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $31,200 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $31,200 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $31,200 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $31,200 |
| Construction | $30,890 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land | $29,990 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) | $29,940 |
| Motion Picture and Video Exhibition | $29,850 |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries | $29,850 |
| Information | $29,850 |
| Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries | $29,850 |
| Food Manufacturing | $29,780 |
| Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | $29,730 |
| RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps | $29,410 |
| Facilities Support Services | $29,120 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities | $29,120 |
| Retail Trade | $29,120 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $29,050 |
| Other Schools and Instruction | $28,400 |
| Other Residential Care Facilities | $27,990 |
| Gasoline Stations | $27,780 |
| Gasoline Stations and Fuel Dealers | $27,780 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps | $27,450 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $26,830 |
| Miscellaneous Store Retailers (4594 and 4595 only) | $26,190 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | $26,140 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $25,560 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $25,560 |
| Spectator Sports | $24,960 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers | $24,960 |
| Junior Colleges | $21,740 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers | $21,570 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Retailers | $21,570 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers | $21,570 |
| Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers | $20,250 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $17,980 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $17,790 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $33,760 |
| 2023 | $31,940 |
| 2022 | $29,120 |
| 2021 | $26,000 |
| 2020 | $23,740 |
| 2019 | $22,890 |
| 2018 | $21,780 |
| 2017 | $20,820 |
| 2016 | $19,990 |
| 2015 | $19,250 |
| 2014 | $18,730 |