The average salary for a food server in the United States is around $35,230 per year.
Avg Salary
Food servers earn an average yearly salary of $35,230.
Wages typically start from $18,100 and go up to $64,720.
42% below national average Updated in 2025
Food server earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level food server earnings begin at:
$31.12 per hour
$64,720 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level food server earnings begin at:
$22.65 per hour
$47,110 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level food server earnings begin at:
$16.94 per hour
$35,230 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level food server earnings begin at:
$13.34 per hour
$27,750 per year
10th percentile
Starting level food server earnings begin at:
$8.70 per hour
$18,100 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 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $23,440 |
| Montana | $23,370 |
| Texas | $23,240 |
| Mississippi | $21,370 |
| Iowa | $21,000 |
| Guam | $19,650 |
| Georgia | $18,700 |
| South Carolina | $18,370 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,090 |
| 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 the United States. On average, they make less than engravers but more than sewing machine operators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Engraver salary | $43K |
| Food batchmaker salary | $42K |
| Butcher salary | $40K |
| Bartender salary | $34K |
| Dietetic technician salary | $38K |
| Food server salary | $35K |
| Florist salary | $37K |
| Restaurant cook salary | $37K |
| Baker salary | $37K |
| Sewing machine operator salary | $37K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)