Best states for a bar waiter/waitress

Q: What is the best state for bar waiter/waitresses?

The best state to be a bar waiter/waitress is Arizona based on bar waiter/waitress salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for bar waiter/waitresses?

The highest paying state for bar waiter/waitresses is Tennessee based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for bar waiter/waitresses?

The worst state for bar waiter/waitresses is Nebraska, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Do you want to become a bar waiter/waitress at Compass Group, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for bar waiter/waitresses that you can check out, before you begin your journey. Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of bar waiter/waitresses in America is $38,000.

The median salary for bar waiter/waitresses in Arizona is $32,073. Compare that to the median salary in Nebraska of $20,612, which ranked worst for bar waiter/waitresses, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the Midwest is best for bar waiter/waitresses, and the Northeast is the worst. Washington, DC is the best city in the country for bar waiter/waitress jobs, where as Arizona is the best state in the country.

10 best states for bar waiter/waitresses in 2025

1. Arizona
Total bar waiter/waitress jobs: 758
Average annual salary: $32,073
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Location Quotient:
1.41
Bar waiter/waitress jobs in Arizona
2. Colorado
Total bar waiter/waitress jobs: 713
Average annual salary: $29,303
Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Location Quotient:
1.3
Bar waiter/waitress jobs in Colorado
3. Michigan
Total bar waiter/waitress jobs: 871
Average annual salary: $26,823
Lowest 10 percent earn: $17,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
1.22
Bar waiter/waitress jobs in Michigan
4. New York
Total bar waiter/waitress jobs: 870
Average annual salary: $31,996
Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
0.74
Bar waiter/waitress jobs in New York
5. California
Total bar waiter/waitress jobs: 2,265
Average annual salary: $32,165
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000
Location Quotient:
0.84
Bar waiter/waitress jobs in California
6. Washington
Total bar waiter/waitress jobs: 424
Average annual salary: $31,458
Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000
Location Quotient:
0.63
Bar waiter/waitress jobs in Washington
7. Connecticut
Total bar waiter/waitress jobs: 287
Average annual salary: $29,131
Lowest 10 percent earn: $18,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
0.94
Bar waiter/waitress jobs in Connecticut
8. District of Columbia
Total bar waiter/waitress jobs: 63
Average annual salary: $35,424
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Location Quotient:
0.41
Bar waiter/waitress jobs in District of Columbia
9. Minnesota
Total bar waiter/waitress jobs: 367
Average annual salary: $30,054
Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
0.6
Bar waiter/waitress jobs in Minnesota
10. Vermont
Total bar waiter/waitress jobs: 36
Average annual salary: $31,099
Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Location Quotient:
0.51
Bar waiter/waitress jobs in Vermont

Bar waiter/waitress jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a bar waiter/waitress

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a bar waiter/waitress

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Arizona	$32,073	$21,000	7,016,270	758
2	Colorado	$29,303	$19,000	5,607,154	713
3	Michigan	$26,823	$17,000	9,962,311	871
4	New York	$31,996	$20,000	19,849,399	870
5	California	$32,165	$21,000	39,536,653	2,265
6	Washington	$31,458	$20,000	7,405,743	424
7	Connecticut	$29,131	$18,000	3,588,184	287
8	District of Columbia	$35,424	$22,000	693,972	63
9	Minnesota	$30,054	$19,000	5,576,606	367
10	Vermont	$31,099	$20,000	623,657	36
11	Maine	$28,826	$19,000	1,335,907	83
12	Texas	$23,992	$15,000	28,304,596	2,482
13	New Jersey	$28,020	$17,000	9,005,644	683
14	West Virginia	$22,896	$14,000	1,815,857	202
15	Ohio	$23,347	$15,000	11,658,609	1,016
16	New Hampshire	$25,189	$16,000	1,342,795	160
17	Massachusetts	$28,693	$18,000	6,859,819	464
18	Delaware	$25,631	$16,000	961,939	113
19	Rhode Island	$27,026	$17,000	1,059,639	63
20	Oregon	$27,314	$17,000	4,142,776	236
21	Pennsylvania	$24,042	$15,000	12,805,537	1,036
22	Arkansas	$24,126	$15,000	3,004,279	218
23	Florida	$22,971	$15,000	20,984,400	2,598
24	Idaho	$24,585	$16,000	1,716,943	104
25	Wyoming	$21,802	$14,000	579,315	78
26	Hawaii	$30,587	$26,000	1,427,538	46
27	Nevada	$21,984	$14,000	2,998,039	286
28	Utah	$23,734	$15,000	3,101,833	232
29	Kentucky	$21,685	$14,000	4,454,189	451
30	Wisconsin	$23,084	$15,000	5,795,483	435
31	Maryland	$25,402	$16,000	6,052,177	523
32	Missouri	$22,541	$14,000	6,113,532	574
33	Alabama	$21,533	$14,000	4,874,747	419
34	Georgia	$22,631	$15,000	10,429,379	893
35	Iowa	$22,725	$14,000	3,145,711	244
36	South Carolina	$21,288	$14,000	5,024,369	470
37	New Mexico	$22,676	$14,000	2,088,070	126
38	Montana	$21,845	$14,000	1,050,493	107
39	Illinois	$22,220	$14,000	12,802,023	897
40	Alaska	$24,110	$18,000	739,795	30
41	South Dakota	$22,314	$14,000	869,666	31
42	Louisiana	$19,738	$13,000	4,684,333	337
43	North Carolina	$20,142	$13,000	10,273,419	883
44	Virginia	$21,256	$13,000	8,470,020	840
45	Kansas	$20,233	$13,000	2,913,123	266
46	Tennessee	$18,166	$12,000	6,715,984	684
47	Indiana	$18,907	$12,000	6,666,818	647
48	Oklahoma	$18,762	$12,000	3,930,864	322
49	Mississippi	$19,253	$12,000	2,984,100	199
50	North Dakota	$21,015	$14,000	755,393	30
51	Nebraska	$20,612	$13,000	1,920,076	105

Highest paying states for bar waiter/waitresses

Rank	State	Avg. Bar Waiter/Waitress Salary
1	Arizona	$32,073
2	Colorado	$29,303
3	Michigan	$26,823
4	New York	$31,996
5	California	$32,165
6	Washington	$31,458
7	Connecticut	$29,131
8	District of Columbia	$35,424
9	Minnesota	$30,054
10	Vermont	$31,099
11	Maine	$28,826
12	Texas	$23,992
13	New Jersey	$28,020
14	West Virginia	$22,896
15	Ohio	$23,347
16	New Hampshire	$25,189
17	Massachusetts	$28,693
18	Delaware	$25,631
19	Rhode Island	$27,026
20	Oregon	$27,314
21	Pennsylvania	$24,042
22	Arkansas	$24,126
23	Florida	$22,971
24	Idaho	$24,585
25	Wyoming	$21,802
26	Hawaii	$30,587
27	Nevada	$21,984
28	Utah	$23,734
29	Kentucky	$21,685
30	Wisconsin	$23,084
31	Maryland	$25,402
32	Missouri	$22,541
33	Alabama	$21,533
34	Georgia	$22,631
35	Iowa	$22,725
36	South Carolina	$21,288
37	New Mexico	$22,676
38	Montana	$21,845
39	Illinois	$22,220
40	Alaska	$24,110
41	South Dakota	$22,314
42	Louisiana	$19,738
43	North Carolina	$20,142
44	Virginia	$21,256
45	Kansas	$20,233
46	Tennessee	$18,166
47	Indiana	$18,907
48	Oklahoma	$18,762
49	Mississippi	$19,253
50	North Dakota	$21,015
51	Nebraska	$20,612

Bar waiter/waitress best states FAQs

What is the best state for bar waiter/waitresses?

What is the highest paying state for bar waiter/waitresses?

What is the worst state for bar waiter/waitresses?

Have more questions? See all answers to common food preparation and restaurant questions.

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Bar Waiter/Waitress
Best states for Bar Waiter/Waitresses

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs

Total bar waiter/waitress jobs:	758
Average annual salary:	$32,073
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$21,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$48,000
Location Quotient:	1.41

Best states for a bar waiter/waitress

10 best states for bar waiter/waitresses in 2025

1. Arizona

2. Colorado

3. Michigan

4. New York

5. California

6. Washington

7. Connecticut

8. District of Columbia

9. Minnesota

10. Vermont