Waiters and Waitresses Salary
BLS May 2025 median wages — with computed take-home after taxes for all 51 reporting states. Tax year 2026.
Quick answer
According to payandtaxes.com's analysis of BLS May 2025 data, the median waiters and waitresses in the US earns $35,230 per year (2,270,910 employed). Gross pay is highest in Hawaii ($62,390) and lowest in Louisiana ($15,080) — but what you keep depends on the state's taxes; see the table.
Waiters and Waitresses pay by stategross median vs take-home
| State | Median wage | After taxes | Monthly net | Kept | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waiters and Waitresses in Hawaii | $62,390 | $49,099 | $4,092 | 78.7% | 14,090 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Vermont | $59,140 | $48,152 | $4,013 | 81.4% | 4,040 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Washington | $56,130 | $47,280 | $3,940 | 84.2% | 45,400 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Oregon | $48,410 | $37,671 | $3,139 | 77.8% | 23,040 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Washington DC | $47,850 | $38,922 | $3,244 | 81.3% | 11,530 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in New York | $47,020 | $38,019 | $3,168 | 80.9% | 142,940 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in New Jersey | $44,960 | $37,369 | $3,114 | 83.1% | 55,800 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Colorado | $44,860 | $36,960 | $3,080 | 82.4% | 40,680 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Virginia | $44,760 | $36,385 | $3,032 | 81.3% | 59,370 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Arizona | $43,950 | $36,604 | $3,050 | 83.3% | 55,950 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Maine | $43,370 | $35,282 | $2,940 | 81.4% | 9,090 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Massachusetts | $38,460 | $31,380 | $2,615 | 81.6% | 54,670 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in New Hampshire | $38,430 | $33,059 | $2,755 | 86% | 10,030 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Connecticut | $37,770 | $31,754 | $2,646 | 84.1% | 22,370 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Michigan | $37,760 | $31,166 | $2,597 | 82.5% | 65,090 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in New Mexico | $36,920 | $31,225 | $2,602 | 84.6% | 12,740 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Delaware | $36,880 | $30,443 | $2,537 | 82.5% | 7,580 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Maryland | $36,750 | $30,327 | $2,527 | 82.5% | 38,120 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Ohio | $36,700 | $31,442 | $2,620 | 85.7% | 77,250 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Florida | $36,150 | $31,227 | $2,602 | 86.4% | 207,180 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Kansas | $36,120 | $29,987 | $2,499 | 83% | 19,480 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in California | $36,080 | $30,738 | $2,561 | 85.2% | 229,970 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Rhode Island | $35,420 | $29,929 | $2,494 | 84.5% | 10,160 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in West Virginia | $35,380 | $29,663 | $2,472 | 83.8% | 8,600 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Pennsylvania | $34,690 | $28,988 | $2,416 | 83.6% | 82,300 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Nebraska | $33,770 | $28,657 | $2,388 | 84.9% | 13,310 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in North Carolina | $32,150 | $27,238 | $2,270 | 84.7% | 71,940 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Illinois | $31,200 | $25,850 | $2,154 | 82.9% | 72,900 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Utah | $31,150 | $25,807 | $2,151 | 82.8% | 17,790 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in North Dakota | $30,890 | $27,000 | $2,250 | 87.4% | 5,250 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Idaho | $30,050 | $25,841 | $2,153 | 86% | 10,950 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Wisconsin | $29,670 | $25,495 | $2,125 | 85.9% | 36,220 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Kentucky | $29,660 | $25,091 | $2,091 | 84.6% | 27,150 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Missouri | $29,400 | $25,358 | $2,113 | 86.3% | 41,640 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in South Dakota | $28,990 | $25,473 | $2,123 | 87.9% | 7,350 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Indiana | $28,480 | $24,253 | $2,021 | 85.2% | 43,620 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Tennessee | $27,760 | $24,470 | $2,039 | 88.1% | 52,120 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Alabama | $26,840 | $22,636 | $1,886 | 84.3% | 28,760 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Nevada | $26,410 | $23,359 | $1,947 | 88.4% | 42,520 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Alaska | $26,310 | $23,276 | $1,940 | 88.5% | 3,830 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Minnesota | $25,470 | $22,040 | $1,837 | 86.5% | 37,630 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Arkansas | $24,680 | $21,184 | $1,765 | 85.8% | 17,880 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Wyoming | $23,920 | $21,308 | $1,776 | 89.1% | 3,620 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Montana | $23,370 | $20,514 | $1,709 | 87.8% | 7,200 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Texas | $23,240 | $20,748 | $1,729 | 89.3% | 199,610 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Mississippi | $21,370 | $19,085 | $1,590 | 89.3% | 15,190 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Iowa | $21,000 | $18,757 | $1,563 | 89.3% | 22,410 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Georgia | $18,700 | $16,662 | $1,388 | 89.1% | 76,470 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in South Carolina | $18,370 | $16,546 | $1,379 | 90.1% | 47,200 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Oklahoma | $17,910 | $16,098 | $1,342 | 89.9% | 27,000 |
| Waiters and Waitresses in Louisiana | $15,080 | $13,860 | $1,155 | 91.9% | 33,870 |
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