Food Servers, Nonrestaurant · Tennessee

Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in Tennessee

Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in Tennessee earn a median annual wage of $30,670 —13.3% below the national median of $35,360. That ranks TN #40 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$30,670
Median hourly
$14.75
Entry level (P10)
$22,620
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$46,750
90th percentile
Employment
5,230
1.6 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-13.3%
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
$22,620
$27,630
$30,670
$36,180
$22,620$30,670$46,750
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $30,670.

Employment is only 0.84× as concentrated as the national average — this occupation is relatively scarce in Tennessee.

Highest-paying states for food servers, nonrestaurant

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Tennessee 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 Tennessee

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Tennessee.

OccupationTennessee medianU.S. median
Fast Food and Counter Workers$27,470$31,200
Waiters and Waitresses$27,760$35,230
Cooks, Restaurant$36,420$37,390
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$40,500$44,080
Food Preparation Workers$28,700$35,320
Bartenders$27,480$34,340

Frequently asked questions

How much do food servers, nonrestaurant make in Tennessee?

The median annual wage for food servers, nonrestaurant in Tennessee is $30,670, or $14.75 per hour. That is 13.3% below the national median of $35,360.

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

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $22,620 per year ($10.88/hour). The 25th percentile is $27,630.

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

About 5,230 people work in this occupation in Tennessee, or 1.6 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Tennessee a good state for food servers, nonrestaurant?

Tennessee ranks #40 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is only 0.84x as concentrated as the national average, so this occupation is relatively scarce in Tennessee.

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