The average salary for a food server in New Jersey is around $44,960 per year.
Avg Salary
Food servers earn an average yearly salary of $44,960.
Wages typically start from $32,220 and go up to $78,510.
38% below national average Updated in 2025
Food server earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level food server earnings begin at:
$37.75 per hour
$78,510 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level food server earnings begin at:
$27.12 per hour
$56,410 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level food server earnings begin at:
$21.62 per hour
$44,960 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level food server earnings begin at:
$17.17 per hour
$35,710 per year
10th percentile
Starting level food server earnings begin at:
$15.49 per hour
$32,220 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 New Jersey. On average, they make less than bartenders but more than tellers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Bartender salary | $44K |
| Office clerk salary | $49K |
| Customer service representative salary | $48K |
| Medical secretary salary | $49K |
| Upholsterer salary | $43K |
| Food server salary | $45K |
| Delivery service driver salary | $47K |
| Tailor salary | $43K |
| Shoemaker salary | $47K |
| Teller salary | $47K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)