How much does a food server make in Detroit?
$35,170a year
Median yearly pay for food servers in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area. That is $16.91 an hour or $2,931 a month.
- Hourly
- $16.91
- Vs. national median
- -1%
- Rank among cities
- 95 of 353
- Jobs in the area
- 3,210
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $29,510Median: $35,170Highest 10%: $37,840
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $29,510 | $14.19 | |
| 25th | $30,810 | $14.81 | |
| Median | $35,170 | $16.91 | |
| 75th | $37,300 | $17.93 | |
| 90th | $37,840 | $18.19 |
Other cities in Michigan
Median yearly pay for food servers.
| Saginaw, MI | $37,030 |
| Battle Creek, MI | $36,710 |
| Muskegon, MI | $36,250 |
| Traverse City, MI | $35,070 |
| Kalamazoo, MI | $34,880 |
| Lansing, MI | $34,700 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $34,170 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $32,770 |
| Bay City, MI | $32,370 |
| Niles, MI | $31,840 |
| Jackson, MI | $30,090 |
| South Bend, IN | $29,800 |
| Flint, MI | $29,710 |
Related jobs in Detroit
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $60,870 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $38,570 |
| Waiter and Waitress | $37,490 |
| Cook | $37,410 |
| Cook | $37,360 |
| Bartender | $36,780 |
| Cook | $35,630 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Worker | $35,100 |
| Dishwasher | $34,350 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $33,060 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food server make an hour in Detroit?
The median hourly pay in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $16.91 ($35,170 a year).
Do food servers make more in Detroit than the national average?
No: $35,170 against $35,360 nationally, 1% less.
How does Detroit compare with the rest of Michigan?
The median in Michigan is $34,260, so Detroit pays 3% more.
Where does Detroit rank for food server pay?
95 of 353 metro areas with data.
How much does a food server make starting out in Detroit?
The lowest-paid 10% make $29,510 or less a year; the top 10% make $37,840 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.