How much does a waiter and waitress make in Chicago?
$31,200a year
Median yearly pay for waiter and waitresss in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area. That is $15.00 an hour or $2,600 a month.
- Hourly
- $15.00
- Vs. national median
- -11%
- Rank among cities
- 196 of 392
- Jobs in the area
- 54,100
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $31,200Median: $31,200Highest 10%: $50,410
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $31,200 | $15.00 | |
| 25th | $31,200 | $15.00 | |
| Median | $31,200 | $15.00 | |
| 75th | $35,800 | $17.21 | |
| 90th | $50,410 | $24.24 |
Other cities in Illinois
Median yearly pay for waiter and waitresss.
| Bloomington, IL | $31,200 |
| Champaign, IL | $31,200 |
| Davenport, IA | $31,200 |
| Decatur, IL | $31,200 |
| Kankakee, IL | $31,200 |
| Peoria, IL | $31,200 |
| Rockford, IL | $31,200 |
| St. Louis, MO | $31,200 |
| Springfield, IL | $31,200 |
| Paducah, KY | $29,280 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO | $28,710 |
Related jobs in Chicago
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $60,770 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $42,650 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Worker | $39,930 |
| Cook | $38,930 |
| Cook | $38,290 |
| Cook | $37,440 |
| Dishwasher | $36,850 |
| Cook | $35,940 |
| Food Server | $35,670 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,410 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a waiter and waitress make an hour in Chicago?
The median hourly pay in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $15.00 ($31,200 a year).
Do waiter and waitresss make more in Chicago than the national average?
No: $31,200 against $35,230 nationally, 11% less.
How does Chicago compare with the rest of Illinois?
The median in Illinois is $31,200, so Chicago pays 0% more.
Where does Chicago rank for waiter and waitress pay?
196 of 392 metro areas with data.
How much does a waiter and waitress make starting out in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% make $31,200 or less a year; the top 10% make $50,410 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.