Best states for a formal waiter/waitress

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for formal waiter/waitresses? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for formal waiter/waitress jobs.As formal waiter/waitresses are popular in the U.S., we wanted to bring you a list of the best states for formal waiter/waitresses. In case you are trying to decide where to start your career as a formal waiter/waitress, or if you are considering moving to a different city or state, we got you covered.

In order to get you the best states for formal waiter/waitresses, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.Michigan is the best state, and Queensbury is the city with the highest pay for formal waiter/waitresses.

10 best states for formal waiter/waitresses in 2025

1. Michigan
Total formal waiter/waitress jobs: 64
Average annual salary: $30,699
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
3.74
Formal waiter/waitress jobs in Michigan
2. New York
Total formal waiter/waitress jobs: 30
Average annual salary: $34,605
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
1.06
Formal waiter/waitress jobs in New York
3. Arizona
Total formal waiter/waitress jobs: 15
Average annual salary: $31,194
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
1.16
Formal waiter/waitress jobs in Arizona
4. Minnesota
Total formal waiter/waitress jobs: 13
Average annual salary: $31,260
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
0.89
Formal waiter/waitress jobs in Minnesota
5. Massachusetts
Total formal waiter/waitress jobs: 16
Average annual salary: $32,290
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
0.79
Formal waiter/waitress jobs in Massachusetts
6. Washington
Total formal waiter/waitress jobs: 18
Average annual salary: $30,736
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
1.12
Formal waiter/waitress jobs in Washington
7. Vermont
Total formal waiter/waitress jobs: 0
Average annual salary: $32,380
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
0
Formal waiter/waitress jobs in Vermont
8. Colorado
Total formal waiter/waitress jobs: 22
Average annual salary: $27,400
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Location Quotient:
1.68
Formal waiter/waitress jobs in Colorado
9. District of Columbia
Total formal waiter/waitress jobs: 2
Average annual salary: $33,150
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
0.54
Formal waiter/waitress jobs in District of Columbia
10. Maine
Total formal waiter/waitress jobs: 2
Average annual salary: $29,480
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Location Quotient:
0.68
Formal waiter/waitress jobs in Maine

Formal waiter/waitress jobsNear Columbus, OH

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

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

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

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Michigan	$30,699	$23,000	9,962,311	64
2	New York	$34,605	$26,000	19,849,399	30
3	Arizona	$31,194	$24,000	7,016,270	15
4	Minnesota	$31,260	$24,000	5,576,606	13
5	Massachusetts	$32,290	$25,000	6,859,819	16
6	Washington	$30,736	$23,000	7,405,743	18
7	Vermont	$32,380	$25,000	623,657	0
8	Colorado	$27,400	$21,000	5,607,154	22
9	District of Columbia	$33,150	$25,000	693,972	2
10	Maine	$29,480	$23,000	1,335,907	2
11	Connecticut	$27,433	$21,000	3,588,184	8
12	Pennsylvania	$24,824	$19,000	12,805,537	35
13	Rhode Island	$28,116	$21,000	1,059,639	1
14	Oregon	$28,226	$21,000	4,142,776	5
15	Alaska	$29,289	$24,000	739,795	0
16	New Jersey	$27,356	$21,000	9,005,644	15
17	California	$30,041	$23,000	39,536,653	17
18	Texas	$24,271	$18,000	28,304,596	67
19	Missouri	$24,073	$18,000	6,113,532	23
20	Delaware	$26,234	$20,000	961,939	2
21	Hawaii	$31,131	$27,000	1,427,538	0
22	Tennessee	$22,870	$17,000	6,715,984	21
23	Idaho	$26,740	$20,000	1,716,943	0
24	Nevada	$23,919	$18,000	2,998,039	6
25	New Hampshire	$26,257	$20,000	1,342,795	0
26	Florida	$23,625	$18,000	20,984,400	55
27	Utah	$25,441	$19,000	3,101,833	2
28	Illinois	$23,392	$18,000	12,802,023	34
29	Wisconsin	$23,945	$18,000	5,795,483	3
30	Maryland	$25,770	$19,000	6,052,177	9
31	New Mexico	$23,652	$18,000	2,088,070	2
32	West Virginia	$23,184	$17,000	1,815,857	0
33	Ohio	$21,897	$16,000	11,658,609	24
34	South Dakota	$22,965	$17,000	869,666	0
35	Iowa	$23,182	$17,000	3,145,711	1
36	Montana	$20,837	$16,000	1,050,493	6
37	Kentucky	$21,659	$16,000	4,454,189	8
38	Arkansas	$22,567	$17,000	3,004,279	1
39	North Carolina	$21,652	$16,000	10,273,419	21
40	Wyoming	$22,753	$17,000	579,315	0
41	South Carolina	$21,192	$16,000	5,024,369	8
42	North Dakota	$22,025	$17,000	755,393	0
43	Kansas	$20,584	$15,000	2,913,123	9
44	Indiana	$19,182	$14,000	6,666,818	32
45	Virginia	$21,078	$16,000	8,470,020	15
46	Alabama	$21,208	$16,000	4,874,747	1
47	Nebraska	$21,014	$16,000	1,920,076	0
48	Georgia	$20,590	$16,000	10,429,379	8
49	Louisiana	$19,793	$15,000	4,684,333	4
50	Oklahoma	$19,078	$14,000	3,930,864	5
51	Mississippi	$19,315	$15,000	2,984,100	0

Highest paying states for formal waiter/waitresses

Rank	State	Avg. Formal Waiter/Waitress Salary
1	Michigan	$30,699
2	New York	$34,605
3	Arizona	$31,194
4	Minnesota	$31,260
5	Massachusetts	$32,290
6	Washington	$30,736
7	Vermont	$32,380
8	Colorado	$27,400
9	District of Columbia	$33,150
10	Maine	$29,480
11	Connecticut	$27,433
12	Pennsylvania	$24,824
13	Rhode Island	$28,116
14	Oregon	$28,226
15	Alaska	$29,289
16	New Jersey	$27,356
17	California	$30,041
18	Texas	$24,271
19	Missouri	$24,073
20	Delaware	$26,234
21	Hawaii	$31,131
22	Tennessee	$22,870
23	Idaho	$26,740
24	Nevada	$23,919
25	New Hampshire	$26,257
26	Florida	$23,625
27	Utah	$25,441
28	Illinois	$23,392
29	Wisconsin	$23,945
30	Maryland	$25,770
31	New Mexico	$23,652
32	West Virginia	$23,184
33	Ohio	$21,897
34	South Dakota	$22,965
35	Iowa	$23,182
36	Montana	$20,837
37	Kentucky	$21,659
38	Arkansas	$22,567
39	North Carolina	$21,652
40	Wyoming	$22,753
41	South Carolina	$21,192
42	North Dakota	$22,025
43	Kansas	$20,584
44	Indiana	$19,182
45	Virginia	$21,078
46	Alabama	$21,208
47	Nebraska	$21,014
48	Georgia	$20,590
49	Louisiana	$19,793
50	Oklahoma	$19,078
51	Mississippi	$19,315

Formal waiter/waitress best states FAQs

What is the best state for formal waiter/waitresses?

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

What is the worst state for formal waiter/waitresses?

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

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Formal Waiter/Waitress
Best states for Formal Waiter/Waitresses

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total formal waiter/waitress jobs:	64
Average annual salary:	$30,699
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$23,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$39,000
Location Quotient:	3.74

Best states for a formal waiter/waitress

10 best states for formal waiter/waitresses in 2025

1. Michigan

2. New York

3. Arizona

4. Minnesota

5. Massachusetts

6. Washington

7. Vermont

8. Colorado

9. District of Columbia

10. Maine