Waiters and Waitresses · Florida

Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Florida

Waiters and Waitresses in Florida earn a median annual wage of $36,150 —2.6% above the national median of $35,230. That ranks FL #20 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$36,150
Median hourly
$17.38
Entry level (P10)
$27,230
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$63,580
90th percentile
Employment
207,180
20.9 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+2.6%
U.S. $35,230

Wage distribution

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

10th percentile90th percentile
$27,230
$28,550
$36,150
$47,590
$27,230$36,150$63,580
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $36,150.

Employment is 1.43× as concentrated as the national average, making Florida a strong market for this occupation.

Highest-paying states for waiters and waitresses

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

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Hawaii$62,390$29.9914,0901.54
2Vermont$59,140$28.434,0400.91
3Washington$56,130$26.9845,4000.88
4Oregon$48,410$23.2723,0400.80
5District of Columbia$47,850$23.0111,5301.12
6New York$47,020$22.61142,9401.01
7New Jersey$44,960$21.6255,8000.89
8Colorado$44,860$21.5740,6800.97
9Virginia$44,760$21.5259,3700.99
10Arizona$43,950$21.1355,9501.18

Related occupations in Florida

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Florida.

OccupationFlorida medianU.S. median
Fast Food and Counter Workers$29,080$31,200
Cooks, Restaurant$37,020$37,390
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$44,470$44,080
Food Preparation Workers$35,920$35,320
Bartenders$35,150$34,340
Cooks, Fast Food$29,900$30,890

Frequently asked questions

How much do waiters and waitresses make in Florida?

The median annual wage for waiters and waitresses in Florida is $36,150, or $17.38 per hour. That is 2.6% above the national median of $35,230.

What is the entry-level waiters and waitresses salary in Florida?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $27,230 per year ($13.09/hour). The 25th percentile is $28,550.

How many people work as waiters and waitresses in Florida?

About 207,180 people work in this occupation in Florida, or 20.9 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Florida a good state for waiters and waitresses?

Florida ranks #20 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is 1.43x as concentrated as the national average, making Florida a strong market for this occupation.

Which state pays waiters and waitresses the most?

Hawaii has the highest median wage at $62,390 per year, followed by Vermont ($59,140) and Washington ($56,130).

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