How much does a food server make in Santa Maria?
$38,740a year
Median yearly pay for food servers in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area. That is $18.63 an hour or $3,228 a month.
- Hourly
- $18.63
- Vs. national median
- +10%
- Rank among cities
- 17 of 353
- Jobs in the area
- 450
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $34,660Median: $38,740Highest 10%: $49,110
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $34,660 | $16.66 | |
| 25th | $36,700 | $17.64 | |
| Median | $38,740 | $18.63 | |
| 75th | $45,720 | $21.98 | |
| 90th | $49,110 | $23.61 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for food servers.
| San Jose, CA | $46,210 |
| Hanford, CA | $45,030 |
| San Francisco, CA | $44,710 |
| Napa, CA | $41,850 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $40,180 |
| Vallejo, CA | $38,910 |
| Salinas, CA | $38,660 |
| Sacramento, CA | $38,460 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $38,350 |
| San Diego, CA | $38,260 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $38,150 |
| Modesto, CA | $38,010 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $37,860 |
| Yuba City, CA | $37,660 |
| Oxnard, CA | $37,480 |
| Chico, CA | $37,400 |
| Stockton, CA | $37,380 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $37,140 |
| Riverside, CA | $37,120 |
| Fresno, CA | $36,770 |
| Redding, CA | $35,740 |
| Visalia, CA | $35,680 |
| El Centro, CA | $35,590 |
Related jobs in Santa Maria
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $65,060 |
| Cook | $48,210 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $47,320 |
| Cook | $43,340 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $42,940 |
| Cook | $42,700 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $38,470 |
| Cook | $38,340 |
| Dishwasher | $37,290 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Worker | $36,360 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food server make an hour in Santa Maria?
The median hourly pay in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area is $18.63 ($38,740 a year).
Do food servers make more in Santa Maria than the national average?
Yes: $38,740 against $35,360 nationally, 10% more.
How does Santa Maria compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $39,010, so Santa Maria pays 1% less.
Where does Santa Maria rank for food server pay?
17 of 353 metro areas with data.
How much does a food server make starting out in Santa Maria?
The lowest-paid 10% make $34,660 or less a year; the top 10% make $49,110 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.