The average wage for a food server in the United States is around $2.37 per hour.
Avg Wage
Food servers earn an average hourly wage of $2.37.
Salaries typically start from $1.38 per hour and go up to $4.07 per hour.
92% below national average Updated in 2023
Food server earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level food server earnings begin at:
$4.07 per hour
$8,466 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level food server earnings begin at:
$3.15 per hour
$6,553 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level food server earnings begin at:
$2.37 per hour
$4,930 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level food server earnings begin at:
$1.78 per hour
$3,709 per year
10th percentile
Starting level food server earnings begin at:
$1.38 per hour
$2,871 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 16% more than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than amusement attendants but more than maitres d'.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Amusement attendant salary | $6K |
| Food batchmaker salary | $6K |
| Baker salary | $6K |
| Food preparation worker salary | $6K |
| Restaurant cook salary | $6K |
| Food server salary | $5K |
| Housekeeper salary | $4K |
| Sewing machine operator salary | $3K |
| Cashier salary | $2K |
| Maitre d' salary | $1K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)