Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Arizona: $53,000 Average

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Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET

Average base salary, Arizona

$53,000 / year

≈ $4,400 per month · $25.48 per hour

LocationOr metro area

BLS May 2025 state data for Arizona · median $45,500

25th percentile
$35,000Average
$53,00075th percentile
$65,000

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.

Waiters and Waitresses salary by state

Alabama$28,000

Alaska$35,000

Arizona$53,000

Arkansas$30,000

California$46,000

Colorado$53,000

Connecticut$48,000

Delaware$44,500

District of Columbia$61,500

Florida$43,500

Georgia$27,500

Hawaii$70,500

Idaho$36,500

Illinois$37,000

Indiana$32,500

Iowa$28,000

Kansas$40,500

Kentucky$36,500

Louisiana$23,000

Maine$53,000

Maryland$45,500

Massachusetts$46,000

Michigan$46,500

Minnesota$31,000

Mississippi$25,500

Missouri$40,000

Montana$30,000

Nebraska$41,000

Nevada$38,000

New Hampshire$45,000

New Jersey$52,000

New Mexico$44,500

New York$56,500

North Carolina$39,000

North Dakota$37,500

Ohio$43,500

Oklahoma$27,000

Oregon$54,000

Pennsylvania$39,500

Rhode Island$44,000

South Carolina$27,000

South Dakota$32,000

Tennessee$30,000

Texas$31,000

Utah$38,500

Vermont$61,000

Virginia$48,500

Washington$62,500

West Virginia$39,500

Wisconsin$36,000

Wyoming$32,000

About this role

Waiters and Waitresses is a professional role within the function in the Food Preparation and Serving job family.

Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Waiters and Waitressess do

Typical education: High School Diploma

Collect payments from customers.
Check patrons' identification to ensure that they meet minimum age requirements for consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.
Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals, and take action to correct any problems.
Take orders from patrons for food or beverages.

Top skills: Service Orientation Speaking Active Listening Social Perceptiveness Coordination Monitoring

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).

Waiters and Waitresses pay by experience level

Entry level$18,500

Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)

Early career$28,500

A few years in (about the 25th percentile)

Experienced$36,500

Mid-career median pay

Senior$49,000

Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)

Top earners$67,000

Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)

Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.

Job outlook

-0.7%

projected change in jobs, 2024–2034

456,700

projected openings per year

Declining

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.

Waiters and Waitresses salary by industry

Food Services and Drinking Places

1,943,380 workers

$41,000

Restaurants and Other Eating Places

1,833,310 workers

$41,000

Accommodation

143,620 workers

$46,500

Traveler Accommodation

143,040 workers

$46,500

Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries

90,870 workers

$39,500

Other Amusement and Recreation Industries

75,770 workers

$40,000

Special Food Services

59,110 workers

$44,000

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)

50,960 workers

$41,500

Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing

16,630 workers

$43,500

Beverage Manufacturing

16,630 workers

$43,500

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.

How this role compares

Waiters and Waitresses pays 2% above the average across 18 roles in the Food Preparation and Serving job family (family average $40,500).

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

Careers related to Waiters and Waitresses

Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$35,500

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

Barista$33,500

Food Servers, Nonrestaurant$37,500

Bartender$42,000

Cooks, Short Order$37,500

Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.

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 $40,500 across 18 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
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