What is the typical salary range for a Waiters and Waitresses?

Pay typically falls between $29,000 and $48,500 per year depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

Waiters and Waitresses Salary: $41,500 Average

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Average base salary

$41,500 / year

≈ $3,450 per month · $19.95 per hour

Location

25th percentile
$29,000Average
$41,50075th percentile
$48,500

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.

About this role

Waiters and Waitresses is a professional role in the Food Preparation and Serving job family, focused on Waiters and Waitresses work. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

How this role compares

Waiters and Waitresses pays 1% above the average across 17 roles in the Food Preparation and Serving job family (family average $41,000).

Similar-paying roles in Food Preparation and Serving

Bartender$42,000

Cooks, All Other$40,500

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$40,000

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other$38,000

Cooks, Short Order$37,500

Food Preparation Worker$36,500

Dishwasher$35,500

First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$48,000

Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$34,000

Cooks, Fast Food$33,500

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Waiters and Waitresses make?

The average base salary for a Waiters and Waitresses in the United States is $41,500 per year, or about $19.95 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $29,000 and $48,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Food Preparation and Serving roles?

The Food Preparation and Serving job family averages $41,000 across 17 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

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WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

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