How much does a food server make in Philadelphia?
$33,300a year
Median yearly pay for food servers in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area. That is $16.01 an hour or $2,775 a month.
- Hourly
- $16.01
- Vs. national median
- -6%
- Rank among cities
- 185 of 353
- Jobs in the area
- 7,610
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $29,130Median: $33,300Highest 10%: $44,410
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $29,130 | $14.00 | |
| 25th | $31,060 | $14.93 | |
| Median | $33,300 | $16.01 | |
| 75th | $37,440 | $18.00 | |
| 90th | $44,410 | $21.35 |
Other cities in Pennsylvania
Median yearly pay for food servers.
| Williamsport, PA | $36,170 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $34,630 |
| Allentown, PA | $34,370 |
| Chambersburg, PA | $33,790 |
| State College, PA | $33,540 |
| York, PA | $33,500 |
| Harrisburg, PA | $33,380 |
| Lebanon, PA | $33,040 |
| Erie, PA | $32,300 |
| Reading, PA | $30,810 |
| Lancaster, PA | $30,660 |
| Scranton, PA | $30,600 |
| Johnstown, PA | $28,760 |
| Gettysburg, PA | $28,520 |
| Altoona, PA | $27,860 |
Related jobs in Philadelphia
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $65,680 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $46,580 |
| Cook | $38,870 |
| Cook | $38,850 |
| Cook | $38,270 |
| Waiter and Waitress | $36,570 |
| Bartender | $36,040 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $34,560 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Worker | $34,190 |
| Dishwasher | $33,270 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food server make an hour in Philadelphia?
The median hourly pay in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $16.01 ($33,300 a year).
Do food servers make more in Philadelphia than the national average?
No: $33,300 against $35,360 nationally, 6% less.
How does Philadelphia compare with the rest of Pennsylvania?
The median in Pennsylvania is $33,300, so Philadelphia pays 0% more.
Where does Philadelphia rank for food server pay?
185 of 353 metro areas with data.
How much does a food server make starting out in Philadelphia?
The lowest-paid 10% make $29,130 or less a year; the top 10% make $44,410 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.