The average salary for a food server in Illinois is around $31,200 per year.
Avg Salary
Food servers earn an average yearly salary of $31,200.
Wages typically start from $31,200 and go up to $49,470.
52% below national average Updated in 2025
Food server earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level food server earnings begin at:
$23.78 per hour
$49,470 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level food server earnings begin at:
$15.73 per hour
$32,720 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level food server earnings begin at:
$15.00 per hour
$31,200 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level food server earnings begin at:
$15.00 per hour
$31,200 per year
10th percentile
Starting level food server earnings begin at:
$15.00 per hour
$31,200 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 about the same as related careers in Illinois. On average, they make less than recreation workers but more than baristas.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Recreation worker salary | $35K |
| Florist salary | $36K |
| Food preparation worker salary | $35K |
| Library assistant salary | $35K |
| Food server salary | $31K |
| Bartender salary | $31K |
| Cashier salary | $34K |
| Host and hostess salary | $31K |
| Amusement attendant salary | $33K |
| Barista salary | $34K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)