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Best states for a food and beverage server
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for food and beverage servers? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for food and beverage server jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.In order to help you decide which state is the best for food and beverage servers, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for food and beverage server jobs.
The median salary for food and beverage servers in Arizona is $31,516. Compare that to the median salary in Louisiana of $19,925, which ranked worst for food and beverage servers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that Arizona is the best state for food and beverage server jobs, whereas Louisiana is the worst.
10 best states for food and beverage servers in 2025
1. Arizona
Total food and beverage server jobs: 1,340 Average annual salary: $31,516 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.37
2. Colorado
Total food and beverage server jobs: 1,275 Average annual salary: $32,754 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
3. Washington
Total food and beverage server jobs: 1,082 Average annual salary: $38,483 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
4. California
Total food and beverage server jobs: 4,591 Average annual salary: $33,302 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
5. Connecticut
Total food and beverage server jobs: 579 Average annual salary: $30,320 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
6. Oregon
Total food and beverage server jobs: 539 Average annual salary: $32,739 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 0.78
7. New York
Total food and beverage server jobs: 1,791 Average annual salary: $32,086 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
8. Michigan
Total food and beverage server jobs: 1,603 Average annual salary: $25,741 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
9. Vermont
Total food and beverage server jobs: 94 Average annual salary: $31,505 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 0.74
10. Minnesota
Total food and beverage server jobs: 861 Average annual salary: $31,491 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 0.78
Food and beverage server jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a food and beverage server
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a food and beverage server
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $31,516 | $25,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,340 |
| 2 | Colorado | $32,754 | $26,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,275 |
| 3 | Washington | $38,483 | $31,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,082 |
| 4 | California | $33,302 | $27,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,591 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $30,320 | $23,000 | 3,588,184 | 579 |
| 6 | Oregon | $32,739 | $26,000 | 4,142,776 | 539 |
| 7 | New York | $32,086 | $25,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,791 |
| 8 | Michigan | $25,741 | $20,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,603 |
| 9 | Vermont | $31,505 | $25,000 | 623,657 | 94 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $31,491 | $24,000 | 5,576,606 | 861 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $35,482 | $27,000 | 693,972 | 121 |
| 12 | Alaska | $28,772 | $25,000 | 739,795 | 138 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $24,904 | $19,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,313 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $25,616 | $20,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,102 |
| 15 | Idaho | $28,429 | $22,000 | 1,716,943 | 228 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $31,091 | $24,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,089 |
| 17 | Utah | $27,003 | $21,000 | 3,101,833 | 499 |
| 18 | Missouri | $26,505 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,054 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $24,074 | $19,000 | 579,315 | 145 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $24,917 | $19,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,022 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $27,831 | $21,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,298 |
| 22 | Maryland | $29,384 | $23,000 | 6,052,177 | 924 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $24,836 | $19,000 | 3,004,279 | 434 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $26,932 | $21,000 | 1,059,639 | 152 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $31,960 | $28,000 | 1,427,538 | 93 |
| 26 | Delaware | $25,524 | $20,000 | 961,939 | 218 |
| 27 | Texas | $25,826 | $20,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,845 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $23,275 | $18,000 | 1,815,857 | 348 |
| 29 | Kansas | $24,826 | $19,000 | 2,913,123 | 500 |
| 30 | Montana | $24,263 | $19,000 | 1,050,493 | 210 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $24,960 | $19,000 | 1,342,795 | 285 |
| 32 | Nevada | $24,837 | $20,000 | 2,998,039 | 308 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $25,273 | $20,000 | 755,393 | 83 |
| 34 | Ohio | $23,458 | $18,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,849 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $24,724 | $19,000 | 2,088,070 | 288 |
| 36 | Florida | $23,014 | $19,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,899 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $21,595 | $17,000 | 4,454,189 | 828 |
| 38 | Virginia | $22,935 | $18,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,729 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $22,334 | $17,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,797 |
| 40 | Maine | $24,148 | $19,000 | 1,335,907 | 184 |
| 41 | Georgia | $22,848 | $18,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,731 |
| 42 | Alabama | $21,703 | $17,000 | 4,874,747 | 778 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $20,235 | $16,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,004 |
| 44 | Iowa | $22,224 | $17,000 | 3,145,711 | 540 |
| 45 | Illinois | $22,989 | $18,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,730 |
| 46 | Indiana | $19,532 | $15,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,232 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $19,473 | $15,000 | 2,984,100 | 427 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $22,647 | $17,000 | 869,666 | 133 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $19,652 | $15,000 | 3,930,864 | 562 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $21,834 | $17,000 | 1,920,076 | 266 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $19,925 | $16,000 | 4,684,333 | 438 |
Highest paying states for food and beverage servers
| Rank | State | Avg. Food And Beverage Server Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $31,516 |
| 2 | Colorado | $32,754 |
| 3 | Washington | $38,483 |
| 4 | California | $33,302 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $30,320 |
| 6 | Oregon | $32,739 |
| 7 | New York | $32,086 |
| 8 | Michigan | $25,741 |
| 9 | Vermont | $31,505 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $31,491 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $35,482 |
| 12 | Alaska | $28,772 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $24,904 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $25,616 |
| 15 | Idaho | $28,429 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $31,091 |
| 17 | Utah | $27,003 |
| 18 | Missouri | $26,505 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $24,074 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $24,917 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $27,831 |
| 22 | Maryland | $29,384 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $24,836 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $26,932 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $31,960 |
| 26 | Delaware | $25,524 |
| 27 | Texas | $25,826 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $23,275 |
| 29 | Kansas | $24,826 |
| 30 | Montana | $24,263 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $24,960 |
| 32 | Nevada | $24,837 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $25,273 |
| 34 | Ohio | $23,458 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $24,724 |
| 36 | Florida | $23,014 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $21,595 |
| 38 | Virginia | $22,935 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $22,334 |
| 40 | Maine | $24,148 |
| 41 | Georgia | $22,848 |
| 42 | Alabama | $21,703 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $20,235 |
| 44 | Iowa | $22,224 |
| 45 | Illinois | $22,989 |
| 46 | Indiana | $19,532 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $19,473 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $22,647 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $19,652 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $21,834 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $19,925 |
Food and beverage server best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025