Food server earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level food server earnings begin at:

$24.11 per hour

$50,140 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level food server earnings begin at:

$16.42 per hour

$34,160 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level food server earnings begin at:

$12.70 per hour

$26,410 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level food server earnings begin at:

$12.00 per hour

$24,960 per year

10th percentile

Starting level food server earnings begin at:

$12.00 per hour

$24,960 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 Nevada. On average, they make less than dietetic technicians but more than hosts and hostesses.

Career Median Salary
Dietetic technician salary $38K
Tour guide salary $39K
Switchboard operator salary $38K
Hairdresser salary $34K
Receptionist salary $37K
Food server salary $26K
Retail salesperson salary $34K
Food preparation worker salary $33K
Bartender salary $27K
Host and hostess salary $31K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)