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Best states for a cocktail server
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you thinking of becoming a cocktail server and really want to work at TGI Fridays? Turns out, your chances to become a cocktail server are better in some states than others.In fact, our research shows that Arizona is the best state for cocktail servers in America. The best city in America for cocktail servers with the highest pay is Seattle, WA.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for cocktail servers. Arizona is the best state for cocktail servers, where the median salary is $27,583.We found that the Midwest is best for cocktail servers, and the Northeast is the worst. Seattle, WA is the best city in the country for cocktail server jobs, where as Arizona is the best state in the country.
10 best states for cocktail servers in 2025
1. Arizona
Total cocktail server jobs: 831 Average annual salary: $27,583 Lowest 10 percent earn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
2. Colorado
Total cocktail server jobs: 918 Average annual salary: $27,219 Lowest 10 percent earn: $15,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 1.35
3. California
Total cocktail server jobs: 2,819 Average annual salary: $32,843 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
4. Washington
Total cocktail server jobs: 544 Average annual salary: $35,490 Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 0.65
5. Massachusetts
Total cocktail server jobs: 641 Average annual salary: $31,266 Lowest 10 percent earn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 0.61
6. Connecticut
Total cocktail server jobs: 319 Average annual salary: $29,193 Lowest 10 percent earn: $16,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
7. Maryland
Total cocktail server jobs: 740 Average annual salary: $28,786 Lowest 10 percent earn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
8. District of Columbia
Total cocktail server jobs: 81 Average annual salary: $34,728 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 0.42
9. Vermont
Total cocktail server jobs: 39 Average annual salary: $29,546 Lowest 10 percent earn: $16,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 0.44
10. Texas
Total cocktail server jobs: 2,659 Average annual salary: $24,781 Lowest 10 percent earn: $15,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
Cocktail server jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a cocktail server
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a cocktail server
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $27,583 | $17,000 | 7,016,270 | 831 |
| 2 | Colorado | $27,219 | $15,000 | 5,607,154 | 918 |
| 3 | California | $32,843 | $20,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,819 |
| 4 | Washington | $35,490 | $19,000 | 7,405,743 | 544 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $31,266 | $17,000 | 6,859,819 | 641 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $29,193 | $16,000 | 3,588,184 | 319 |
| 7 | Maryland | $28,786 | $17,000 | 6,052,177 | 740 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $34,728 | $20,000 | 693,972 | 81 |
| 9 | Vermont | $29,546 | $16,000 | 623,657 | 39 |
| 10 | Texas | $24,781 | $15,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,659 |
| 11 | New York | $28,991 | $16,000 | 19,849,399 | 991 |
| 12 | Michigan | $23,467 | $13,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,134 |
| 13 | Maine | $26,175 | $14,000 | 1,335,907 | 110 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $26,293 | $14,000 | 5,576,606 | 504 |
| 15 | Kansas | $23,486 | $14,000 | 2,913,123 | 370 |
| 16 | Missouri | $23,396 | $14,000 | 6,113,532 | 802 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $22,680 | $13,000 | 1,815,857 | 220 |
| 18 | Illinois | $24,777 | $14,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,314 |
| 19 | Oregon | $26,921 | $14,000 | 4,142,776 | 295 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $25,828 | $14,000 | 1,059,639 | 78 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $22,392 | $13,000 | 4,454,189 | 646 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $22,947 | $14,000 | 5,024,369 | 565 |
| 23 | Ohio | $22,697 | $13,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,215 |
| 24 | Delaware | $25,042 | $14,000 | 961,939 | 123 |
| 25 | Florida | $23,359 | $15,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,141 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $23,505 | $13,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,236 |
| 27 | Georgia | $23,199 | $14,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,269 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $23,674 | $13,000 | 1,342,795 | 185 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $22,786 | $14,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,118 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $21,744 | $12,000 | 579,315 | 91 |
| 31 | Nevada | $21,958 | $13,000 | 2,998,039 | 336 |
| 32 | Virginia | $23,299 | $14,000 | 8,470,020 | 967 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $23,368 | $12,000 | 755,393 | 39 |
| 34 | Idaho | $22,239 | $12,000 | 1,716,943 | 179 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $22,427 | $13,000 | 2,088,070 | 155 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $28,049 | $25,000 | 1,427,538 | 57 |
| 37 | New Jersey | $22,402 | $13,000 | 9,005,644 | 809 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $21,639 | $11,000 | 5,795,483 | 514 |
| 39 | Iowa | $21,046 | $12,000 | 3,145,711 | 358 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $21,060 | $13,000 | 3,004,279 | 243 |
| 41 | Indiana | $19,578 | $11,000 | 6,666,818 | 994 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $20,260 | $12,000 | 3,930,864 | 359 |
| 43 | Alaska | $23,036 | $18,000 | 739,795 | 37 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $19,584 | $12,000 | 4,684,333 | 427 |
| 45 | Montana | $19,377 | $10,000 | 1,050,493 | 151 |
| 46 | Alabama | $19,869 | $12,000 | 4,874,747 | 494 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $19,129 | $12,000 | 2,984,100 | 250 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $21,127 | $11,000 | 869,666 | 38 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $18,112 | $11,000 | 6,715,984 | 813 |
| 50 | Utah | $20,533 | $11,000 | 3,101,833 | 319 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $20,594 | $11,000 | 1,920,076 | 152 |
Highest paying states for cocktail servers
| Rank | State | Avg. Cocktail Server Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $27,583 |
| 2 | Colorado | $27,219 |
| 3 | California | $32,843 |
| 4 | Washington | $35,490 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $31,266 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $29,193 |
| 7 | Maryland | $28,786 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $34,728 |
| 9 | Vermont | $29,546 |
| 10 | Texas | $24,781 |
| 11 | New York | $28,991 |
| 12 | Michigan | $23,467 |
| 13 | Maine | $26,175 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $26,293 |
| 15 | Kansas | $23,486 |
| 16 | Missouri | $23,396 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $22,680 |
| 18 | Illinois | $24,777 |
| 19 | Oregon | $26,921 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $25,828 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $22,392 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $22,947 |
| 23 | Ohio | $22,697 |
| 24 | Delaware | $25,042 |
| 25 | Florida | $23,359 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $23,505 |
| 27 | Georgia | $23,199 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $23,674 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $22,786 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $21,744 |
| 31 | Nevada | $21,958 |
| 32 | Virginia | $23,299 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $23,368 |
| 34 | Idaho | $22,239 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $22,427 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $28,049 |
| 37 | New Jersey | $22,402 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $21,639 |
| 39 | Iowa | $21,046 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $21,060 |
| 41 | Indiana | $19,578 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $20,260 |
| 43 | Alaska | $23,036 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $19,584 |
| 45 | Montana | $19,377 |
| 46 | Alabama | $19,869 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $19,129 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $21,127 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $18,112 |
| 50 | Utah | $20,533 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $20,594 |
Cocktail server best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025