Food server earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level food server earnings begin at:

$21.73 per hour

$45,190 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level food server earnings begin at:

$14.86 per hour

$30,900 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level food server earnings begin at:

$11.02 per hour

$22,920 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level food server earnings begin at:

$10.31 per hour

$21,440 per year

10th percentile

Starting level food server earnings begin at:

$9.82 per hour

$20,430 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Food server salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Ohio $6,000
District of Columbia $34,880
Massachusetts $33,840
Maine $30,860
Oregon $28,900
New Jersey $28,800
Vermont $28,690
Connecticut $28,560
Hawaii $28,380
Rhode Island $26,120
Minnesota $25,920
New Hampshire $25,460
Maryland $25,000
Alaska $24,070
Virginia $23,930
Virgin Islands, U.S. $23,440
South Dakota $23,040
Delaware $22,920
Arkansas $22,880
North Dakota $22,730
Missouri $22,590
Indiana $22,040
West Virginia $22,010
New Mexico $21,840
Wisconsin $21,470
Nebraska $21,340
Nevada $21,240
Iowa $21,100
Montana $20,200
Colorado $20,000
Florida $20,000
North Carolina $20,000
New York $20,000
Washington $20,000
Idaho $19,910
Guam $19,650
Arizona $19,500
California $19,000
Kentucky $18,840
Wyoming $18,840
Kansas $18,780
Oklahoma $18,670
Louisiana $18,270
South Carolina $18,240
Tennessee $18,230
Alabama $18,120
Puerto Rico $18,090
Mississippi $17,730
Georgia $16,000
Illinois $15,000
Texas $15,000
Utah $1,400
Michigan $12,000
Pennsylvania $10,428

How do food server salaries compare to similar careers?

Food servers earn about the same as related careers in Delaware. On average, they make less than food batchmakers but more than amusement attendants.

Career Median Salary
Food batchmaker salary $30K
Florist salary $30K
Baker salary $30K
Restaurant cook salary $30K
Bartender salary $23K
Food server salary $23K
Food preparation worker salary $28K
Housekeeper salary $28K
Cashier salary $24K
Amusement attendant salary $24K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)