Waiters and Waitresses Salary in the US
A waiters and waitresses earns a national median of $35,230 a year (mean $40,060) — BLS OEWS May 2025, ranked #805 of 825.
How much does a waiters and waitresses earn in the US?
A waiters and waitresses in the United States earns a median of $35,230 a year (mean $40,060), per BLS OEWS May 2025. That is 31% below the US all-occupations median of $50,980. About 2,270,910 people work in this occupation (SOC 35-3031), ranked #805 of 825 by national median pay. Updated annually from BLS OEWS.
Median
$35,230
per year
Mean
$40,060
per year
Employment
2,270,910
US workers
National rank
#805
of 825 by median
What a waiters and waitresses earns in the US
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 national estimates, a waiters and waitresses (SOC 35-3031) earns a median annual wage of $35,230 and a mean (average) of $40,060. The median is the midpoint — half of waiters and waitresses earn more and half earn less — and is 31% below the US all-occupations median of $50,980. The mean is higher than the median when a minority of very high earners pull the average up.
Note: BLS top-codes any annual wage at or above $239,200/year, so occupations at that ceiling share the same figure.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average salary for a waiters and waitresses in the US?
- The BLS OEWS May 2025 national annual median wage for waiters and waitresses is $35,230, and the mean (average) is $40,060. The median is the midpoint — half of waiters and waitresses earn more and half earn less.
- How does waiters and waitresses pay compare to the US average?
- At $35,230, a waiters and waitresses earns 31% below the US all-occupations median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS May 2025). The all-occupations US median is $50,980.
- How many waiters and waitresses are employed in the US?
- BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates about 2,270,910 waiters and waitresses employed nationally (SOC 35-3031), across all industries.
- Where does this waiters and waitresses salary data come from?
- From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 national release — cross-industry, all-ownership estimates, SOC code 35-3031. As US federal government work it is public domain. GeraJobs publishes the figures verbatim; suppressed cells are shown as "—", never estimated.
Compare nearby occupations
- Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians$35,450
- Retail Salespersons$35,410
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant$35,360
- Animal Caretakers$35,360
- Food Preparation Workers$35,320
- Physical Therapist Aides$35,240
- Parking Attendants$35,150
- School Bus Monitors$35,100
- Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks$35,070
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials$35,060
- Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners$34,980
- Childcare Workers$34,980
Find waiters and waitresses jobs with salary ranges
GeraJobs lists live US vacancies with employer-stated salary ranges — see which waiters and waitresses roles pay above the BLS benchmark.
Data source
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) · May 2025 national estimates · SOC 35-3031 · Public domain (U.S. federal government work)
Published verbatim by GeraJobs. Last updated: 2026-06-27. ← All US salaries