How much does a food server make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $17.00 an hour or $2,947 a month.
- Hourly
- $17.00
- Average (mean)
- $36,140
- Jobs
- 293,900
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $28,030 | $13.48 | |
| 25th | $31,190 | $15.00 | |
| Median | $35,360 | $17.00 | |
| 75th | $38,500 | $18.51 | |
| 90th | $46,120 | $22.17 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| New York | $39,370 |
| California | $39,010 |
| Colorado | $38,900 |
| Washington | $38,870 |
| Alaska | $38,090 |
| District of Columbia | $37,920 |
| Hawaii | $37,920 |
| Maine | $37,680 |
| Vermont | $37,540 |
| North Dakota | $36,910 |
| Massachusetts | $36,750 |
| New Hampshire | $36,710 |
| Maryland | $36,650 |
| Oregon | $36,620 |
| New Jersey | $36,390 |
| Nevada | $36,030 |
| Minnesota | $36,000 |
| Connecticut | $35,950 |
| New Mexico | $35,740 |
| Arizona | $35,390 |
| Virginia | $35,090 |
| Illinois | $35,080 |
| Rhode Island | $34,860 |
| Wisconsin | $34,670 |
| Michigan | $34,260 |
| Idaho | $34,220 |
| Florida | $33,930 |
| Pennsylvania | $33,300 |
| Wyoming | $33,090 |
| Kentucky | $32,200 |
| Montana | $32,090 |
| South Dakota | $31,980 |
| Indiana | $31,840 |
| Missouri | $31,840 |
| South Carolina | $31,740 |
| Nebraska | $31,540 |
| Georgia | $31,530 |
| North Carolina | $31,460 |
| Delaware | $31,430 |
| Tennessee | $30,670 |
| Ohio | $30,440 |
| Utah | $30,170 |
| West Virginia | $30,170 |
| Iowa | $30,110 |
| Texas | $29,300 |
| Kansas | $29,040 |
| Alabama | $29,000 |
| Oklahoma | $28,490 |
| Arkansas | $27,600 |
| Mississippi | $27,250 |
| Louisiana | $27,200 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| Kahului, HI | $62,960 |
| San Jose, CA | $46,210 |
| Hanford, CA | $45,030 |
| San Francisco, CA | $44,710 |
| Napa, CA | $41,850 |
| Burlington, VT | $41,090 |
| Seattle, WA | $40,640 |
| Ithaca, NY | $40,240 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $40,180 |
| Denver, CO | $39,850 |
| Lawton, OK | $39,720 |
| Anchorage, AK | $39,550 |
| New York, NY | $39,120 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $38,980 |
| Boulder, CO | $38,930 |
In other countries
Food Server belongs to the international group "Waiters".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Bartender$34,340
- Fast Food and Counter Worker$31,200
- Waiter and Waitress$35,230
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food server make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $17.00 ($35,360 a year).
How much does a food server make a month?
About $2,947 a month before tax, based on a median of $35,360 a year.
How much does a food server make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $28,030 or less a year ($13.48 an hour); the top 10% make $46,120 or more.
Which state pays food servers the most?
New York, with a median of $39,370 a year, followed by California ($39,010) and Colorado ($38,900).
Which city pays food servers the most?
Kahului-Wailuku, HI, with a median of $62,960 a year.
How many food servers are there in the United States?
About 293,900 people work as food servers.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.