Food Servers, Nonrestaurant · Illinois

Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in Illinois

Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in Illinois earn a median annual wage of $35,080 —0.8% below the national median of $35,360. That ranks IL #22 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$35,080
Median hourly
$16.87
Entry level (P10)
$31,200
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$41,960
90th percentile
Employment
17,560
2.9 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-0.8%
U.S. $35,360

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$31,200
$31,290
$35,080
$37,360
$31,200$35,080$41,960
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $35,080.

Employment is 1.52× as concentrated as the national average, making Illinois a strong market for this occupation.

Highest-paying states for food servers, nonrestaurant

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Illinois is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1New York$39,370$18.9317,5200.96
2California$39,010$18.7532,4300.94
3Colorado$38,900$18.707,7501.43
4Washington$38,870$18.698,0501.20
5Alaska$38,090$18.314300.70
6Hawaii$37,920$18.238800.74
7District of Columbia$37,920$18.231,2600.95
8Maine$37,680$18.115400.45
9Vermont$37,540$18.057801.36
10North Dakota$36,910$17.751,6302.01

Related occupations in Illinois

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Illinois.

OccupationIllinois medianU.S. median
Fast Food and Counter Workers$33,910$31,200
Waiters and Waitresses$31,200$35,230
Cooks, Restaurant$37,580$37,390
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$39,470$44,080
Food Preparation Workers$34,850$35,320
Bartenders$31,200$34,340

Frequently asked questions

How much do food servers, nonrestaurant make in Illinois?

The median annual wage for food servers, nonrestaurant in Illinois is $35,080, or $16.87 per hour. That is 0.8% below the national median of $35,360.

What is the entry-level food servers, nonrestaurant salary in Illinois?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $31,200 per year ($15.00/hour). The 25th percentile is $31,290.

How many people work as food servers, nonrestaurant in Illinois?

About 17,560 people work in this occupation in Illinois, or 2.9 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Illinois a good state for food servers, nonrestaurant?

Illinois ranks #22 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is 1.52x as concentrated as the national average, making Illinois a strong market for this occupation.

Which state pays food servers, nonrestaurant the most?

New York has the highest median wage at $39,370 per year, followed by California ($39,010) and Colorado ($38,900).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes