The average salary for a food server in New York is around $47,020 per year.
Avg Salary
Food servers earn an average yearly salary of $47,020.
Wages typically start from $33,540 and go up to $83,210.
33% below national average Updated in 2025
Food server earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level food server earnings begin at:
$40.01 per hour
$83,210 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level food server earnings begin at:
$31.00 per hour
$64,480 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level food server earnings begin at:
$22.61 per hour
$47,020 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level food server earnings begin at:
$16.60 per hour
$34,520 per year
10th percentile
Starting level food server earnings begin at:
$16.12 per hour
$33,540 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 York. On average, they make less than financial clerks but more than exterminators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Financial clerk salary | $58K |
| Maintenance worker salary | $58K |
| Brewmaster salary | $56K |
| Highway maintenance worker salary | $55K |
| Painting, coating & decorating worker salary | $49K |
| Food server salary | $47K |
| Piano tuner salary | $53K |
| Concierge salary | $58K |
| Engraver salary | $52K |
| Exterminator salary | $49K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)