How much does a food server make in Chicago?
$35,670a year
Median yearly pay for food servers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area. That is $17.15 an hour or $2,973 a month.
- Hourly
- $17.15
- Vs. national median
- +1%
- Rank among cities
- 86 of 353
- Jobs in the area
- 12,200
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $31,200Median: $35,670Highest 10%: $44,010
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $31,200 | $15.00 | |
| 25th | $33,350 | $16.03 | |
| Median | $35,670 | $17.15 | |
| 75th | $38,040 | $18.29 | |
| 90th | $44,010 | $21.16 |
Other cities in Illinois
Median yearly pay for food servers.
| Springfield, IL | $34,800 |
| Champaign, IL | $34,580 |
| St. Louis, MO | $34,340 |
| Decatur, IL | $33,710 |
| Peoria, IL | $33,700 |
| Bloomington, IL | $33,540 |
| Kankakee, IL | $32,430 |
| Davenport, IA | $31,730 |
| Rockford, IL | $31,670 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO | $30,090 |
Related jobs in Chicago
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $60,770 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $42,650 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Worker | $39,930 |
| Cook | $38,930 |
| Cook | $38,290 |
| Cook | $37,440 |
| Dishwasher | $36,850 |
| Cook | $35,940 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,410 |
| Cook | $35,360 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food server make an hour in Chicago?
The median hourly pay in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $17.15 ($35,670 a year).
Do food servers make more in Chicago than the national average?
Yes: $35,670 against $35,360 nationally, 1% more.
How does Chicago compare with the rest of Illinois?
The median in Illinois is $35,080, so Chicago pays 2% more.
Where does Chicago rank for food server pay?
86 of 353 metro areas with data.
How much does a food server make starting out in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% make $31,200 or less a year; the top 10% make $44,010 or more.
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.