How much does a food server make in La Crosse?
$34,850a year
Median yearly pay for food servers in the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area. That is $16.75 an hour or $2,904 a month.
- Hourly
- $16.75
- Vs. national median
- -1%
- Rank among cities
- 110 of 353
- Jobs in the area
- 290
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $29,360Median: $34,850Highest 10%: $38,780
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $29,360 | $14.12 | |
| 25th | $32,840 | $15.79 | |
| Median | $34,850 | $16.75 | |
| 75th | $36,000 | $17.31 | |
| 90th | $38,780 | $18.64 |
Other cities in Wisconsin
Median yearly pay for food servers.
| Minneapolis, MN | $36,420 |
| Madison, WI | $36,110 |
| Duluth, MN | $35,880 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $35,850 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $34,900 |
| Green Bay, WI | $34,730 |
| Racine, WI | $34,530 |
| Kenosha, WI | $34,300 |
| Appleton, WI | $34,280 |
| Janesville, WI | $34,000 |
| Oshkosh, WI | $33,860 |
| Wausau, WI | $33,750 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | $33,640 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $33,570 |
Related jobs in La Crosse
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $58,300 |
| Cook | $39,050 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $38,460 |
| Cook | $36,260 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $34,900 |
| Dishwasher | $29,310 |
| Cook | $28,700 |
| Cook | $28,590 |
| Waiter and Waitress | $28,380 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $28,280 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food server make an hour in La Crosse?
The median hourly pay in the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area is $16.75 ($34,850 a year).
Do food servers make more in La Crosse than the national average?
No: $34,850 against $35,360 nationally, 1% less.
How does La Crosse compare with the rest of Wisconsin?
The median in Wisconsin is $34,670, so La Crosse pays 1% more.
Where does La Crosse rank for food server pay?
110 of 353 metro areas with data.
How much does a food server make starting out in La Crosse?
The lowest-paid 10% make $29,360 or less a year; the top 10% make $38,780 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.