Waiters and Waitresses Wages
SOC 35-3031 • Full occupation profile
The median annual wage for Waiters and Waitresses is $31,940 nationally (2023 BLS OEWS). The 10th percentile is $18,600 and the 90th percentile is $60,100, showing the wide spread of wages in this occupation.
National Wage Distribution (2023)
Employment
2,237,850
P10
$18,600
P25
$23,770
Median
$31,940
P75
$41,600
P90
$60,100
National Wage Trend
How national median and mean wages for Waiters and Waitresses have moved across BLS OEWS release years.
| Year | Median | Mean | P10 | P90 | Employment | YoY Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $31,940 | $36,530 | $18,600 | $60,100 | 2,237,850 | — |
| 2022 | $29,120 | $33,020 | $18,250 | $55,360 | 2,122,210 | -8.83% |
| 2021 | $26,000 | $29,010 | $17,840 | $45,910 | 1,804,030 | -10.71% |
| 2020 | $23,740 | $27,470 | $17,520 | $42,550 | 1,944,240 | -8.69% |
Wages by State (2023)
State-level OEWS wage estimates for Waiters and Waitresses. The highest median is in Vermont at $60,300, 89% above the U.S. median.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Mean Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | $60,300 | +88.8% | $60,200 | 4,660 |
| Washington | $48,980 | +53.4% | $57,960 | 43,430 |
| Arizona | $43,780 | +37.1% | $49,080 | 49,290 |
| New York | $41,540 | +30.1% | $51,040 | 130,190 |
| Maine | $37,920 | +18.7% | $47,570 | 9,030 |
| District of Columbia | $37,390 | +17.1% | $51,970 | 11,640 |
| New Jersey | $37,270 | +16.7% | $46,590 | 58,310 |
| Connecticut | $35,530 | +11.2% | $41,760 | 22,150 |
| Michigan | $35,400 | +10.8% | $39,590 | 67,010 |
| Massachusetts | $35,070 | +9.8% | $40,830 | 50,370 |
| California | $34,780 | +8.9% | $43,200 | 225,040 |
| New Hampshire | $34,730 | +8.7% | $39,070 | 10,040 |
| Virginia | $34,150 | +6.9% | $37,580 | 58,690 |
| Maryland | $33,760 | +5.7% | $39,430 | 35,160 |
| Colorado | $33,020 | +3.4% | $41,630 | 44,230 |
| Missouri | $33,010 | +3.4% | $36,810 | 42,400 |
| Rhode Island | $31,940 | 0% | $41,900 | 9,430 |
| Utah | $31,860 | -0.3% | $35,480 | 17,400 |
| Oregon | $31,110 | -2.6% | $34,250 | 22,680 |
| Kansas | $30,520 | -4.4% | $34,520 | 20,600 |
| New Mexico | $30,350 | -5% | $37,590 | 12,760 |
| Nebraska | $30,120 | -5.7% | $37,330 | 13,010 |
| Florida | $29,940 | -6.3% | $37,050 | 198,440 |
| Idaho | $29,710 | -7% | $32,030 | 12,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $29,710 | -7% | $33,890 | 81,500 |
| North Dakota | $29,540 | -7.5% | $35,210 | 5,090 |
| Ohio | $28,950 | -9.4% | $33,930 | 76,110 |
| Hawaii | $28,180 | -11.8% | $44,620 | 14,380 |
| Delaware | $28,150 | -11.9% | $34,780 | 8,110 |
| Wisconsin | $28,090 | -12.1% | $31,230 | 35,350 |
| Illinois | $28,030 | -12.2% | $33,910 | 86,200 |
| South Dakota | $28,000 | -12.3% | $28,590 | 6,080 |
| West Virginia | $27,950 | -12.5% | $33,410 | 9,190 |
| Tennessee | $27,060 | -15.3% | $29,210 | 53,980 |
| Texas | $27,030 | -15.4% | $29,350 | 202,590 |
| Iowa | $27,000 | -15.5% | $30,050 | 19,350 |
| Alaska | $26,610 | -16.7% | $36,150 | 3,730 |
| Arkansas | $26,160 | -18.1% | $29,060 | 17,350 |
| Nevada | $24,960 | -21.9% | $32,360 | 38,230 |
| Indiana | $23,990 | -24.9% | $29,400 | 44,570 |
| Minnesota | $23,850 | -25.3% | $25,850 | 38,760 |
| Georgia | $23,030 | -27.9% | $28,840 | 70,420 |
| Louisiana | $22,230 | -30.4% | $29,160 | 31,300 |
| Wyoming | $21,790 | -31.8% | $30,300 | 3,910 |
| Kentucky | $21,360 | -33.1% | $29,120 | 27,160 |
| North Carolina | $21,060 | -34.1% | $29,990 | 71,840 |
| Montana | $20,990 | -34.3% | $23,950 | 7,630 |
| Mississippi | $20,330 | -36.3% | $24,610 | 14,560 |
| Alabama | $20,210 | -36.7% | $22,690 | 29,410 |
| Oklahoma | $19,140 | -40.1% | $24,590 | 30,450 |
| South Carolina | $18,680 | -41.5% | $22,770 | 42,470 |