How much does a food server make in Waterloo?
$28,140a year
Median yearly pay for food servers in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area. That is $13.53 an hour or $2,345 a month.
- Hourly
- $13.53
- Vs. national median
- -20%
- Rank among cities
- 311 of 353
- Jobs in the area
- 390
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $23,300Median: $28,140Highest 10%: $34,870
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $23,300 | $11.20 | |
| 25th | $27,020 | $12.99 | |
| Median | $28,140 | $13.53 | |
| 75th | $32,700 | $15.72 | |
| 90th | $34,870 | $16.76 |
Other cities in Iowa
Median yearly pay for food servers.
| Des Moines, IA | $33,790 |
| Dubuque, IA | $32,270 |
| Omaha, NE | $32,150 |
| Ames, IA | $31,840 |
| Davenport, IA | $31,730 |
| Sioux City, IA | $31,290 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $29,940 |
| Iowa City, IA | $29,350 |
Related jobs in Waterloo
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $44,610 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $38,180 |
| Cook | $35,680 |
| Cook | $35,420 |
| Cook | $33,520 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $32,050 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper | $28,930 |
| Dishwasher | $28,890 |
| Host and Hostess | $28,190 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $27,820 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food server make an hour in Waterloo?
The median hourly pay in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area is $13.53 ($28,140 a year).
Do food servers make more in Waterloo than the national average?
No: $28,140 against $35,360 nationally, 20% less.
How does Waterloo compare with the rest of Iowa?
The median in Iowa is $30,110, so Waterloo pays 7% less.
Where does Waterloo rank for food server pay?
311 of 353 metro areas with data.
How much does a food server make starting out in Waterloo?
The lowest-paid 10% make $23,300 or less a year; the top 10% make $34,870 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.