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Busser salary
Average busser salary
$11.59
Understanding Busser Salaries
The average busser salary in the United States is $24,111 per year, translating to about $12 per hour. However, this figure can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and the type of establishment. For instance, bussers in upscale restaurants may earn more due to higher service expectations and tipping culture.
Salary by Experience
Entry-level bussers typically start at lower wages but can see increases with experience. Bussers with several years in the role often progress to supervisory positions or transition into waiter or bartender roles, which offer higher earnings.
Highest Paying States
States like California and New York tend to offer higher salaries for bussers, reflecting the higher cost of living and demand for skilled service staff. Meanwhile, states with lower living costs may offer competitive salaries that attract workers to the hospitality sector.
Job Opportunities
Job seekers interested in becoming a busser can explore various opportunities across restaurants, catering companies, and event venues. Starting as a busser can be a strategic step toward advancing in the culinary industry, with many potential career paths available.
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Where can a Busser earn more?
Busser salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level busser | $21,400 | $10.29 |
| Mid-level busser | $26,700 | $12.84 |
| Senior-level busser | $26,500 | $12.76 |
Busser salary estimates from across the web
Average busser salary by state
The average busser salary in Maine, Vermont, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average busser salary states are North Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for bussers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $32,849 | $15.79 |
| 2 | Idaho | $28,295 | $13.60 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $27,793 | $13.36 |
| 4 | California | $28,769 | $13.83 |
| 5 | Vermont | $29,728 | $14.29 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $28,444 | $13.68 |
| 7 | Washington | $29,192 | $14.03 |
| 8 | Colorado | $24,549 | $11.80 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $26,908 | $12.94 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $27,883 | $13.41 |
| 11 | Georgia | $23,362 | $11.23 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $22,140 | $10.64 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $26,060 | $12.53 |
| 14 | Oregon | $26,255 | $12.62 |
| 15 | Michigan | $23,135 | $11.12 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $31,165 | $14.98 |
| 17 | Kentucky | $21,955 | $10.56 |
| 18 | New York | $26,414 | $12.70 |
| 19 | Arizona | $22,512 | $10.82 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $25,394 | $12.21 |
| 21 | Texas | $21,723 | $10.44 |
| 22 | Maryland | $24,800 | $11.92 |
| 23 | Ohio | $21,141 | $10.16 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | $21,447 | $10.31 |
| 25 | Alabama | $22,004 | $10.58 |
| 26 | Iowa | $22,427 | $10.78 |
| 27 | Indiana | $20,915 | $10.06 |
| 28 | Delaware | $23,638 | $11.36 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $21,430 | $10.30 |
| 30 | Florida | $21,104 | $10.15 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $21,302 | $10.24 |
| 32 | Missouri | $20,947 | $10.07 |
| 33 | Illinois | $21,013 | $10.10 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $20,362 | $9.79 |
| 35 | Kansas | $20,986 | $10.09 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $21,136 | $10.16 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $21,272 | $10.23 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $20,346 | $9.78 |
| 39 | Nevada | $19,361 | $9.31 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $18,718 | $9.00 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $19,280 | $9.27 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $21,740 | $10.45 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $19,255 | $9.26 |
| 44 | Virginia | $20,388 | $9.80 |
| 45 | Utah | $18,349 | $8.82 |
| 46 | Montana | $20,414 | $9.81 |
| 47 | Minnesota | $19,871 | $9.55 |
| 48 | Alaska | $19,785 | $9.51 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $16,289 | $7.83 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $18,311 | $8.80 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $16,227 | $7.80 |
Highest paying cities for bussers
The highest-paying cities for bussers are Washington, DC, Seattle, WA, and San Francisco, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $31,206 | $15.00 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $29,194 | $14.04 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $28,825 | $13.86 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $27,974 | $13.45 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $26,377 | $12.68 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $24,511 | $11.78 |
| 7 | Atlanta, GA | $23,368 | $11.23 |
| 8 | Washington, MI | $23,243 | $11.17 |
| 9 | Glendale, AZ | $22,556 | $10.84 |
| 10 | San Antonio, TX | $21,762 | $10.46 |
| 11 | Albuquerque, NM | $21,353 | $10.27 |
| 12 | Jacksonville, FL | $21,123 | $10.16 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $21,028 | $10.11 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $21,020 | $10.11 |
| 15 | Kansas City, KS | $21,006 | $10.10 |
| 16 | Kansas City, MO | $20,937 | $10.07 |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN | $20,899 | $10.05 |
| 18 | Arlington, VA | $20,555 | $9.88 |
| 19 | Philadelphia, PA | $20,420 | $9.82 |
| 20 | Las Vegas, NV | $19,410 | $9.33 |
Bussers are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Busser salary details
A busser's salary ranges from $17,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $33,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a busser's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 75th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
| Average | $24,111 | $2,009 | $12 |
| 25th Percentile | $20,000 | $1,667 | $10 |
| 10th Percentile | $17,000 | $1,417 | $8 |
Highest paying busser jobs
The highest paying types of bussers are dining room coordinator, dining room hostess, and banquet houseman.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Room Service Server | $26,717 | $2,226 | $12.84 | 144,551 |
| Dining Room Server | $29,540 | $2,462 | $14.20 | 99,079 |
| Cafeteria Worker | $24,465 | $2,039 | $11.76 | 31,802 |
| Breakfast Attendant | $26,791 | $2,233 | $12.88 | 63,312 |
| Bar Back | $25,316 | $2,110 | $12.17 | 56,369 |
| Food Runner | $25,536 | $2,128 | $12.28 | 240,853 |
Which companies pay bussers the most?
Busser salaries at Dell and University of California, Berkeley are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average busser salary at companies like Lexington Country Club and Hill International are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dell | $49,322 | $23.71 |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley | $40,988 | $19.71 |
| 3 | Lexington Country Club | $38,654 | $18.58 |
| 4 | Hill International | $38,126 | $18.33 |
| 5 | Anthony | $37,333 | $17.95 |
| 6 | La Esperanza Clinic | $34,985 | $16.82 |
| 7 | University of Southern California | $34,308 | $16.49 |
| 8 | Vallarta Supermarkets | $34,217 | $16.45 |
| 9 | MiPueblo Supermarket | $33,414 | $16.06 |
| 10 | On The Border | $33,048 | $15.89 |
| 11 | HEI Hotels & Resorts | $32,712 | $15.73 |
| 12 | Aspen Snowmass | $32,246 | $15.50 |
| 13 | Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants | $32,112 | $15.44 |
| 14 | Maggiano's Little Italy | $31,967 | $15.37 |
| 15 | Hacienda | $31,947 | $15.36 |
| 16 | Il Fornaio | $31,941 | $15.36 |
| 17 | Senior Resource Group | $31,708 | $15.24 |
| 18 | H-E-B | $31,650 | $15.22 |
| 19 | Kohler Co. | $31,639 | $15.21 |
| 20 | Zoës Kitchen | $31,453 | $15.12 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Busser salary trends
The average busser salary has risen by $6,353 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average busser earned $17,758 annually, but today, they earn $24,111 a year. That works out to a 24% change in pay for bussers over the last decade.
Compare busser salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average busser salary over time
Compare busser salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Busser salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $24,100 | $11.59 | +6.2% |
| 2024 | $22,600 | $10.88 | +5.1% |
| 2023 | $21,500 | $10.32 | +5.0% |
| 2022 | $20,400 | $9.81 | +4.5% |
| 2021 | $19,500 | $9.36 | +4.6% |
Recently added busser salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARLO | Busser | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $22,957 |
| Bloomin' Brands, Inc. | Restaurant Busser | New York, NY | 06/28/2025 | $20,870 |
| Bloomin' Brands, Inc. | Restaurant Busser | Bloomingdale, IL | 06/28/2025 | $18,783 |
| Accor Hotels | Restaurant Busser at The Hive | Bentonville, AR | 06/28/2025 | $16,696 |
| Cpk Holdings Inc. | Busser | Boston, MA | 06/28/2025 | $14,087 |
| P.F. Chang's China Bistro | Busser | Jacksonville, FL | 06/28/2025 | $27,131 |
| St. Francis Yacht Club | Busser | San Francisco, CA | 06/28/2025 | $47,500 |
| Lotus | Busser | Las Vegas, NV | 06/28/2025 | $25,044 |
| Odawa Casino | F&B Busser | Petoskey, MI | 06/28/2025 | $33,392 |
| Daveandbusters | Busser | Clarksville, TN | 06/28/2025 | $15,131 |
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