Food server earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level food server earnings begin at:

$22.53 per hour

$46,860 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level food server earnings begin at:

$17.24 per hour

$35,850 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level food server earnings begin at:

$8.99 per hour

$18,700 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level food server earnings begin at:

$7.25 per hour

$15,080 per year

10th percentile

Starting level food server earnings begin at:

$7.25 per hour

$15,080 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Food server salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Hawaii $62,390
Vermont $59,140
Washington $56,130
Oregon $48,410
District of Columbia $47,850
New York $47,020
New Jersey $44,960
Colorado $44,860
Virginia $44,760
Arizona $43,950
Maine $43,370
Massachusetts $38,460
New Hampshire $38,430
Connecticut $37,770
Michigan $37,760
New Mexico $36,920
Delaware $36,880
Maryland $36,750
Ohio $36,700
Florida $36,150
Kansas $36,120
California $36,080
Rhode Island $35,420
West Virginia $35,380
Pennsylvania $34,690
Nebraska $33,770
North Carolina $32,150
Illinois $31,200
Utah $31,150
North Dakota $30,890
Idaho $30,050
Wisconsin $29,670
Kentucky $29,660
Missouri $29,400
South Dakota $28,990
Indiana $28,480
Tennessee $27,760
Alabama $26,840
Nevada $26,410
Alaska $26,310
Minnesota $25,470
Arkansas $24,680
Wyoming $23,920
Montana $23,370
Texas $23,240
Mississippi $21,370
Iowa $21,000
Virgin Islands, U.S. $20,380
Guam $19,120
Georgia $18,700
South Carolina $18,370
Puerto Rico $18,040
Oklahoma $17,910
Louisiana $15,080

How do food server salaries compare to similar careers?

Food servers earn 6% less than similar careers in Georgia. On average, they make less than lifeguards but more than amusement attendants.

Career Median Salary
Lifeguard salary $31K
Bartender salary $23K
Cashier salary $29K
Barista salary $27K
Host and hostess salary $28K
Food server salary $19K
Amusement attendant salary $26K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)