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Lead server salary
Average lead server salary
$13.79
Average Lead Server Salary
The average Lead Server salary stands at about $28,677 annually. However, this figure can differ based on several factors, including location, establishment type, and individual experience. In bustling metropolitan areas, Lead Servers may see significantly higher wages compared to those in smaller towns.
How Much Does a Lead Server Make?
Lead Servers typically earn between $25,000 and $35,000 per year, with top earners in high-end restaurants reaching upwards of $45,000. This salary range reflects the responsibilities of managing staff, ensuring customer satisfaction, and overseeing operations during shifts.
Where Can a Lead Server Earn More?
States like California, New York, and Florida are known for higher salary averages due to their vibrant dining scenes. Additionally, Lead Servers in upscale dining establishments or hotels tend to earn higher wages, factoring in tips and bonuses.
Lead Server Salary Estimates from Across the Web
According to various salary reports, Lead Server wages are influenced by the restaurant's location and customer volume. For instance, reports indicate that Lead Servers in popular tourist destinations typically earn more than those in less frequented areas.
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Where can a Lead Server earn more?
Lead server salary estimates from across the web
Average lead server salary by state
The highest-paying states for lead servers are Hawaii, Alaska, and New York. The lowest average lead server salary states are Montana, Alabama, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for lead servers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $57,898 | $27.84 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $61,013 | $29.33 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $43,151 | $20.75 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $37,116 | $17.84 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $37,715 | $18.13 |
| 6 | New York | $50,966 | $24.50 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $48,583 | $23.36 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $50,420 | $24.24 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $46,566 | $22.39 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $49,721 | $23.90 |
| 11 | Maryland | $42,236 | $20.31 |
| 12 | Ohio | $27,871 | $13.40 |
| 13 | Vermont | $43,670 | $21.00 |
| 14 | Washington | $43,072 | $20.71 |
| 15 | Idaho | $27,559 | $13.25 |
| 16 | California | $43,637 | $20.98 |
| 17 | Delaware | $39,546 | $19.01 |
| 18 | Maine | $38,812 | $18.66 |
| 19 | Arizona | $30,196 | $14.52 |
| 20 | Virginia | $34,831 | $16.75 |
| 21 | Oregon | $39,327 | $18.91 |
| 22 | Michigan | $29,152 | $14.02 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $27,965 | $13.44 |
| 24 | Kansas | $25,833 | $12.42 |
| 25 | Nevada | $26,345 | $12.67 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $25,716 | $12.36 |
| 27 | Illinois | $28,650 | $13.77 |
| 28 | Colorado | $27,241 | $13.10 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $29,360 | $14.12 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $26,860 | $12.91 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $26,039 | $12.52 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $24,385 | $11.72 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $24,715 | $11.88 |
| 34 | Missouri | $25,937 | $12.47 |
| 35 | Georgia | $25,930 | $12.47 |
| 36 | Utah | $23,372 | $11.24 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $23,019 | $11.07 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $23,471 | $11.28 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $25,670 | $12.34 |
| 40 | Texas | $24,471 | $11.76 |
| 41 | Montana | $22,446 | $10.79 |
| 42 | Florida | $23,174 | $11.14 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $25,085 | $12.06 |
| 44 | Indiana | $22,699 | $10.91 |
| 45 | Iowa | $23,652 | $11.37 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $22,712 | $10.92 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $19,958 | $9.60 |
| 48 | Alabama | $21,983 | $10.57 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $21,644 | $10.41 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $20,174 | $9.70 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $21,155 | $10.17 |
Highest paying cities for lead servers
The highest-paying cities for lead servers are New York, NY, Boston, MA, and San Francisco, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $50,650 | $24.35 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $49,505 | $23.80 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $48,263 | $23.20 |
| 4 | Hartford, CT | $47,358 | $22.77 |
| 5 | Newark, NJ | $45,841 | $22.04 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $43,297 | $20.82 |
| 7 | Johnston, RI | $41,815 | $20.10 |
| 8 | Rockville, MD | $40,688 | $19.56 |
| 9 | Lake Oswego, OR | $38,999 | $18.75 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $37,538 | $18.05 |
| 11 | Alexandria, VA | $36,330 | $17.47 |
| 12 | Scottsdale, AZ | $30,051 | $14.45 |
| 13 | Detroit, MI | $29,125 | $14.00 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $28,617 | $13.76 |
| 15 | Denver, CO | $27,235 | $13.09 |
| 16 | Columbus, OH | $27,183 | $13.07 |
| 17 | Fayetteville, NC | $26,586 | $12.78 |
| 18 | Sandy Springs, GA | $25,859 | $12.43 |
| 19 | Green Bay, WI | $24,968 | $12.00 |
| 20 | Austin, TX | $24,558 | $11.81 |
Lead server salary details
A lead server's salary ranges from $11,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $70,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a lead server's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| 75th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| Average | $28,677 | $2,390 | $14 |
| 25th Percentile | $17,000 | $1,417 | $8 |
| 10th Percentile | $11,000 | $917 | $5 |
Highest paying lead server jobs
The highest paying types of lead servers are lead bartender, caterer/server, and bartender server.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cocktail Waitress | $26,819 | $2,235 | $12.89 | 77,429 |
| Waitress | $24,770 | $2,064 | $11.91 | 87,315 |
| Server And Certified Trainer | $30,423 | $2,535 | $14.63 | 131,460 |
| Server And Hostess | $28,020 | $2,335 | $13.47 | 97,109 |
| Server/Barista | $30,749 | $2,562 | $14.78 | 173,073 |
| Dining Room Server | $29,540 | $2,462 | $14.20 | 99,079 |
Top companies hiring lead servers now:
Which companies pay lead servers the most?
Lead server salaries at Microsoft and Cisco are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average lead server salary at companies like Morgan Stanley and Capgemini are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft | $127,280 | $61.19 |
| 2 | Cisco | $117,089 | $56.29 |
| 3 | Morgan Stanley | $114,251 | $54.93 |
| 4 | Capgemini | $114,209 | $54.91 |
| 5 | Solera | $110,605 | $53.18 |
| 6 | Thomson Reuters | $89,382 | $42.97 |
| 7 | Broadridge | $84,660 | $40.70 |
| 8 | Xcel Energy | $78,129 | $37.56 |
| 9 | AmeriHealth Caritas | $71,496 | $34.37 |
| 10 | Liberty HomeCare and Hospice | $68,597 | $32.98 |
| 11 | FM Global | $68,058 | $32.72 |
| 12 | Medline | $67,143 | $32.28 |
| 13 | Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants | $67,067 | $32.24 |
| 14 | American Senior Benefits | $63,659 | $30.61 |
| 15 | The Culinary Institute of America | $61,237 | $29.44 |
| 16 | Wyndham Hotels & Resorts | $56,303 | $27.07 |
| 17 | ngmoco | $55,207 | $26.54 |
| 18 | Electronic Arts | $55,152 | $26.52 |
| 19 | ZeniMax Media | $54,837 | $26.36 |
| 20 | Beaver Run Resort & Conference Center | $50,588 | $24.32 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Lead server salary trends
The average lead server salary has risen by $6,245 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average lead server earned $22,432 annually, but today, they earn $28,677 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for lead servers over the last decade.
Compare lead server salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average lead server salary over time
Compare lead server salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Lead server salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $28,700 | $13.79 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $27,600 | $13.29 | +4.8% |
| 2023 | $26,300 | $12.65 | +4.4% |
| 2022 | $25,100 | $12.09 | +4.0% |
| 2021 | $24,100 | $11.61 | +3.7% |
Recently added lead server salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brightview Senior Living | Lead Dining Server | Orangeburg, NY | 06/29/2025 | $39,653 |
| Compass Group Careers | Server Lead | Milwaukee, WI | 06/26/2025 | $43,827 |
| Allegro Management Company | Lead Server | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 06/26/2025 | $37,566 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Lead, Server-The Ohio State University | Columbus, OH | 06/25/2025 | $35,479 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Server Lead | Homer Glen, IL | 06/25/2025 | $35,479 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Lead Server | Saint Louis, MO | 06/25/2025 | $33,392 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Server Lead | Nashville, TN | 06/25/2025 | $37,566 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Server at The Zoo (Catering OPS Lead) | Seattle, WA | 06/25/2025 | $54,262 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Lead Server (Seasonal) | New York, NY | 06/25/2025 | $35,479 |
| Morrison Living | Server Lead | New Haven, CT | 06/25/2025 | $38,610 |
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