How much does a food server make in Indianapolis?
$31,960a year
Median yearly pay for food servers in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN metro area. That is $15.37 an hour or $2,663 a month.
- Hourly
- $15.37
- Vs. national median
- -10%
- Rank among cities
- 207 of 353
- Jobs in the area
- 1,360
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $27,400Median: $31,960Highest 10%: $38,720
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $27,400 | $13.17 | |
| 25th | $28,720 | $13.81 | |
| Median | $31,960 | $15.37 | |
| 75th | $36,750 | $17.67 | |
| 90th | $38,720 | $18.62 |
Other cities in Indiana
Median yearly pay for food servers.
| Chicago, IL | $35,670 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $35,190 |
| Elkhart, IN | $34,630 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $33,400 |
| Kokomo, IN | $32,860 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $32,070 |
| Louisville, KY | $31,780 |
| Muncie, IN | $30,510 |
| Evansville, IN | $30,360 |
| Lafayette, IN | $29,990 |
| South Bend, IN | $29,800 |
Related jobs in Indianapolis
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $49,010 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $45,590 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Worker | $38,160 |
| Cook | $36,610 |
| Cook | $36,350 |
| Dishwasher | $30,520 |
| Cook | $30,500 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $30,490 |
| Waiter and Waitress | $29,050 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $29,040 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food server make an hour in Indianapolis?
The median hourly pay in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN metro area is $15.37 ($31,960 a year).
Do food servers make more in Indianapolis than the national average?
No: $31,960 against $35,360 nationally, 10% less.
How does Indianapolis compare with the rest of Indiana?
The median in Indiana is $31,840, so Indianapolis pays 0% more.
Where does Indianapolis rank for food server pay?
207 of 353 metro areas with data.
How much does a food server make starting out in Indianapolis?
The lowest-paid 10% make $27,400 or less a year; the top 10% make $38,720 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.