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This question is about waitress salaries.
What is a good starting salary for a Waitress?
A good starting salary for a waitress is $16,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a waitress in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for waitresses is $22,128, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a waitress can vary by state, as we show below.
What Is A Good Entry-Level Waitress Salary By State?
The following table shows how much an entry level waitress earns in each state. Zippia used data from the BLS, public records, and job postings to create these estimates.
| State | Starting Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
| Hawaii | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| New York | $25,000 | $2,083 | $480 | $12.02 |
| Massachusetts | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| Vermont | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| Maine | $22,000 | $1,833 | $423 | $10.58 |
| New Hampshire | $19,000 | $1,583 | $365 | $9.13 |
| California | $19,000 | $1,583 | $365 | $9.13 |
| Rhode Island | $19,000 | $1,583 | $365 | $9.13 |
| Washington | $19,000 | $1,583 | $365 | $9.13 |
| District of Columbia | $19,000 | $1,583 | $365 | $9.13 |
| Alaska | $19,000 | $1,583 | $365 | $9.13 |
| Connecticut | $18,000 | $1,500 | $346 | $8.65 |
| Arizona | $17,000 | $1,416 | $326 | $8.17 |
| West Virginia | $17,000 | $1,416 | $326 | $8.17 |
| Michigan | $17,000 | $1,416 | $326 | $8.17 |
| Oregon | $17,000 | $1,416 | $326 | $8.17 |
| New Jersey | $16,000 | $1,333 | $307 | $7.69 |
| Minnesota | $16,000 | $1,333 | $307 | $7.69 |
| Pennsylvania | $15,000 | $1,250 | $288 | $7.21 |
| Maryland | $15,000 | $1,250 | $288 | $7.21 |
| Virginia | $15,000 | $1,250 | $288 | $7.21 |
| North Dakota | $15,000 | $1,250 | $288 | $7.21 |
| Colorado | $14,000 | $1,166 | $269 | $6.73 |
| Delaware | $14,000 | $1,166 | $269 | $6.73 |
| Nevada | $13,000 | $1,083 | $250 | $6.25 |
| Ohio | $13,000 | $1,083 | $250 | $6.25 |
| Florida | $13,000 | $1,083 | $250 | $6.25 |
| Illinois | $13,000 | $1,083 | $250 | $6.25 |
| Arkansas | $13,000 | $1,083 | $250 | $6.25 |
| Kentucky | $12,000 | $1,000 | $230 | $5.77 |
| Indiana | $12,000 | $1,000 | $230 | $5.77 |
| Tennessee | $12,000 | $1,000 | $230 | $5.77 |
| Missouri | $12,000 | $1,000 | $230 | $5.77 |
| Georgia | $12,000 | $1,000 | $230 | $5.77 |
| Wyoming | $12,000 | $1,000 | $230 | $5.77 |
| Montana | $12,000 | $1,000 | $230 | $5.77 |
| Iowa | $12,000 | $1,000 | $230 | $5.77 |
| Idaho | $12,000 | $1,000 | $230 | $5.77 |
| Kansas | $12,000 | $1,000 | $230 | $5.77 |
| South Dakota | $12,000 | $1,000 | $230 | $5.77 |
| South Carolina | $11,000 | $916 | $211 | $5.29 |
| North Carolina | $11,000 | $916 | $211 | $5.29 |
| Mississippi | $11,000 | $916 | $211 | $5.29 |
| Utah | $11,000 | $916 | $211 | $5.29 |
| Wisconsin | $11,000 | $916 | $211 | $5.29 |
| Nebraska | $11,000 | $916 | $211 | $5.29 |
| Texas | $10,000 | $833 | $192 | $4.81 |
| Louisiana | $10,000 | $833 | $192 | $4.81 |
| Alabama | $10,000 | $833 | $192 | $4.81 |
| New Mexico | $10,000 | $833 | $192 | $4.81 |
| Oklahoma | $9,000 | $750 | $173 | $4.33 |
What are The 10 Highest Paying Cities for Entry-Level Waitress Jobs?
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an entry level waitress job is above the national average. Topping the list is New York, NY.
| City | Starting Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
| New York, NY | $29,000 | $2,416 | $557 | $13.94 |
| Falmouth, MA | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| Washington, DC | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| Irvine, CA | $22,000 | $1,833 | $423 | $10.58 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $21,000 | $1,750 | $403 | $10.1 |
| Fort Lee, NJ | $19,000 | $1,583 | $365 | $9.13 |
| Arlington, VA | $18,000 | $1,500 | $346 | $8.65 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $16,000 | $1,333 | $307 | $7.69 |
| Palm Beach Gardens, FL | $15,000 | $1,250 | $288 | $7.21 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $14,000 | $1,166 | $269 | $6.73 |
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