Waiters and Waitresses Salary in U.S.
SOC 35-3031 · National · 2024 BLS OEWS
The median salary for a Waiters and Waitresses in U.S. is $33,760 per year as of 2024. That works out to roughly $16.23 per hour. 2,302,690 people work as Waiters and Waitresses in U.S.. Wages have grown 80% since 2014, when the median was $18,730.
Median Annual Salary
$33,760
Mean Annual
$38,360
Median Hourly
$16.23
Total Employed
2,302,690
Salary Distribution
$19k
10th
$26k
25th
$34k
Median
$45k
75th
$63k
90th
Salary by Industry
| 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 |
Salary 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 |
Related Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations Jobs in U.S.
Other occupations in the same group, sorted by salary.
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $60,990 |
| Cooks, Private Household | $44,530 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $42,010 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $36,830 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $36,450 |
| Cooks, All Other | $36,210 |