Waiters and Waitresses Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for waiters and waitresses is $35,230, or $16.94 per hour. About 2,270,910 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $62,390 in Hawaii to $15,080 in Louisiana.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $62,390 | $29.99 | 14,090 | 1.54 |
| 2 | Vermont | $59,140 | $28.43 | 4,040 | 0.91 |
| 3 | Washington | $56,130 | $26.98 | 45,400 | 0.88 |
| 4 | Oregon | $48,410 | $23.27 | 23,040 | 0.80 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $47,850 | $23.01 | 11,530 | 1.12 |
| 6 | New York | $47,020 | $22.61 | 142,940 | 1.01 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $44,960 | $21.62 | 55,800 | 0.89 |
| 8 | Colorado | $44,860 | $21.57 | 40,680 | 0.97 |
| 9 | Virginia | $44,760 | $21.52 | 59,370 | 0.99 |
| 10 | Arizona | $43,950 | $21.13 | 55,950 | 1.18 |
| 11 | Maine | $43,370 | $20.85 | 9,090 | 0.97 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $38,460 | $18.49 | 54,670 | 1.03 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $38,430 | $18.48 | 10,030 | 1.01 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $37,770 | $18.16 | 22,370 | 0.90 |
| 15 | Michigan | $37,760 | $18.16 | 65,090 | 1.01 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $36,920 | $17.75 | 12,740 | 1.00 |
| 17 | Delaware | $36,880 | $17.73 | 7,580 | 1.07 |
| 18 | Maryland | $36,750 | $17.67 | 38,120 | 0.94 |
| 19 | Ohio | $36,700 | $17.65 | 77,250 | 0.95 |
| 20 | Florida | $36,150 | $17.38 | 207,180 | 1.43 |
| 21 | Kansas | $36,120 | $17.36 | 19,480 | 0.93 |
| 22 | California | $36,080 | $17.35 | 229,970 | 0.86 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $35,420 | $17.03 | 10,160 | 1.39 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $35,380 | $17.01 | 8,600 | 0.84 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $34,690 | $16.68 | 82,300 | 0.93 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $33,770 | $16.24 | 13,310 | 0.89 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $32,150 | $15.46 | 71,940 | 1.00 |
| 28 | Illinois | $31,200 | $15.00 | 72,900 | 0.82 |
| 29 | Utah | $31,150 | $14.98 | 17,790 | 0.70 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $30,890 | $14.85 | 5,250 | 0.84 |
| 31 | Idaho | $30,050 | $14.45 | 10,950 | 0.87 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $29,670 | $14.26 | 36,220 | 0.84 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $29,660 | $14.26 | 27,150 | 0.93 |
| 34 | Missouri | $29,400 | $14.13 | 41,640 | 0.97 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $28,990 | $13.94 | 7,350 | 1.10 |
| 36 | Indiana | $28,480 | $13.69 | 43,620 | 0.93 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $27,760 | $13.35 | 52,120 | 1.09 |
| 38 | Alabama | $26,840 | $12.91 | 28,760 | 0.93 |
| 39 | Nevada | $26,410 | $12.70 | 42,520 | 1.88 |
| 40 | Alaska | $26,310 | $12.65 | 3,830 | 0.80 |
| 41 | Minnesota | $25,470 | $12.25 | 37,630 | 0.87 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $24,680 | $11.86 | 17,880 | 0.94 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $23,920 | $11.50 | 3,620 | 0.88 |
| 44 | Montana | $23,370 | $11.23 | 7,200 | 0.96 |
| 45 | Texas | $23,240 | $11.18 | 199,610 | 0.97 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $21,370 | $10.27 | 15,190 | 0.89 |
| 47 | Iowa | $21,000 | $10.10 | 22,410 | 0.98 |
| 48 | Georgia | $18,700 | $8.99 | 76,470 | 1.07 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $18,370 | $8.83 | 47,200 | 1.40 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $17,910 | $8.61 | 27,000 | 1.08 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $15,080 | $7.25 | 33,870 | 1.20 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do waiters and waitresses make?
The median annual wage for waiters and waitresses in the United States is $35,230, or $16.94 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $18,100, and the top 10% earn $64,720.
How many waiters and waitresses are employed in the U.S.?
About 2,270,910 people work as waiters and waitresses nationwide.
Which state pays waiters and waitresses the most?
Hawaii pays the most at a median of $62,390, followed by Vermont ($59,140) and Washington ($56,130).
Which state pays waiters and waitresses the least?
Louisiana has the lowest median at $15,080.
Where are waiters and waitresses jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Nevada at 1.88×.