Research Summary. After extensive research by the Zippia data science team, we identified these details of food server salary by state for the United States as of 2026:
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Vermont has the highest food server salary of $31,295
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Alaska has the lowest food server salary of $19,747
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The national average salary for food servers is $25,209
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The national hourly pay for food servers is $12.12
You can read more on the specific methodology.
Background
In 2026, the importance of salary remains a top priority for job seekers across various demographics. Many still ask, “How much do food servers get paid where I live?”
While individual salaries can vary based on numerous factors, we provide comprehensive data on average salaries for food servers by state, reflecting adjustments for seniority levels and local market conditions. These averages serve as a valuable benchmark for what you might expect to earn in your region.
After adjustments, Vermont continues to lead as the state offering the best salary for food servers.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the top ten states for food server salaries in 2026:
Let’s take a look at how we got here and a full ranking of all the states.
Highest-Paid Food Servers By State
| Rank | State | Average Food Server Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $31,295 | $26,000 | $37,000 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $30,875 | $24,000 | $39,000 |
| 3 | Maine | $30,677 | $26,000 | $35,000 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $30,371 | $23,000 | $40,000 |
| 5 | California | $30,147 | $22,000 | $40,000 |
| 6 | Idaho | $28,864 | $22,000 | $37,000 |
| 7 | Washington | $28,846 | $22,000 | $36,000 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $28,746 | $22,000 | $36,000 |
| 9 | New York | $28,478 | $21,000 | $37,000 |
| 10 | Oregon | $26,623 | $20,000 | $34,000 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $26,487 | $20,000 | $35,000 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $26,261 | $20,000 | $34,000 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $26,107 | $20,000 | $33,000 |
| 14 | Alabama | $25,803 | $19,000 | $34,000 |
| 15 | Virginia | $25,599 | $19,000 | $34,000 |
| 16 | Illinois | $24,915 | $18,000 | $32,000 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $24,708 | $20,000 | $30,000 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $23,956 | $17,000 | $32,000 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $23,937 | $17,000 | $31,000 |
| 20 | Arkansas | $23,748 | $17,000 | $31,000 |
| 21 | Utah | $23,728 | $18,000 | $31,000 |
| 22 | Colorado | $23,492 | $17,000 | $30,000 |
| 23 | Iowa | $23,279 | $17,000 | $30,000 |
| 24 | Tennessee | $23,186 | $17,000 | $31,000 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $23,156 | $17,000 | $31,000 |
| 26 | Georgia | $23,056 | $16,000 | $31,000 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $22,967 | $20,000 | $25,000 |
| 28 | Arizona | $22,796 | $17,000 | $30,000 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $22,640 | $16,000 | $30,000 |
| 30 | Rhode Island | $22,531 | $17,000 | $29,000 |
| 31 | Ohio | $22,327 | $16,000 | $29,000 |
| 32 | Nevada | $22,262 | $16,000 | $29,000 |
| 33 | West Virginia | $22,260 | $16,000 | $29,000 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $22,173 | $16,000 | $29,000 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $22,000 | $16,000 | $29,000 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $21,920 | $16,000 | $28,000 |
| 37 | Michigan | $21,801 | $16,000 | $28,000 |
| 38 | Indiana | $21,779 | $16,000 | $28,000 |
| 39 | Maryland | $21,778 | $16,000 | $29,000 |
| 40 | Delaware | $21,705 | $16,000 | $28,000 |
| 41 | Florida | $21,703 | $16,000 | $29,000 |
| 42 | Montana | $21,650 | $17,000 | $27,000 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $21,631 | $16,000 | $28,000 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $21,381 | $15,000 | $29,000 |
| 45 | Missouri | $20,288 | $15,000 | $27,000 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $20,270 | $15,000 | $26,000 |
| 47 | Texas | $20,235 | $14,000 | $27,000 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $20,120 | $14,000 | $27,000 |
| 49 | Kansas | $19,904 | $14,000 | $26,000 |
| 50 | Alaska | $19,747 | $18,000 | $21,000 |
Methodology: Food Server Salary By State
To better understand food server pay by state, Zippia has aggregated data across a multitude of channels including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We supplement that data with actual listed salaries from job postings. Finally, our data science team calculates a weighted average of these inputs to create an average pay for food servers by state.
We took the average annual salary data for food servers from these estimates and ranked every state based on this criterion, with the state offering the highest salary ranked at the top.
Food Server Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for food servers?
The highest-paid state for food servers is Vermont with an average salary of $31,295 per year.
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What city pays food servers the most?
Los Angeles, CA pays food servers the most with an average salary of $30,005 per year.
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What is the worst state for food servers?
The worst state for food servers is Alaska with an average salary of $19,747 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
