Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a restaurant server
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for restaurant servers in the United States. Restaurant server positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for restaurant servers.Our research found that Arizona is the best state for restaurant servers, while California and Washington are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Arizona has a median salary of $26,754 and California has the highest median salary among all 50 states for restaurant servers.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for restaurant servers. Arizona is the best state for restaurant servers, where the median salary is $26,754.Arizona is the best state, and Pacifica is the city with the highest pay for restaurant servers.
10 best states for restaurant servers in 2025
1. Arizona
Total restaurant server jobs: 1,116 Average annual salary: $26,754 Lowest 10 percent earn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
2. California
Total restaurant server jobs: 4,356 Average annual salary: $32,428 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
3. Colorado
Total restaurant server jobs: 1,309 Average annual salary: $26,113 Lowest 10 percent earn: $16,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.35
4. Washington
Total restaurant server jobs: 884 Average annual salary: $30,709 Lowest 10 percent earn: $18,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location Quotient: 0.74
5. Texas
Total restaurant server jobs: 4,515 Average annual salary: $24,808 Lowest 10 percent earn: $16,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 1.36
6. Missouri
Total restaurant server jobs: 990 Average annual salary: $25,792 Lowest 10 percent earn: $16,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
7. Maryland
Total restaurant server jobs: 1,000 Average annual salary: $28,436 Lowest 10 percent earn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
8. Massachusetts
Total restaurant server jobs: 779 Average annual salary: $30,647 Lowest 10 percent earn: $18,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 0.52
9. Oregon
Total restaurant server jobs: 469 Average annual salary: $28,619 Lowest 10 percent earn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 0.69
10. Connecticut
Total restaurant server jobs: 397 Average annual salary: $28,753 Lowest 10 percent earn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 0.73
Restaurant server jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a restaurant server
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a restaurant server
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $26,754 | $17,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,116 |
| 2 | California | $32,428 | $21,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,356 |
| 3 | Colorado | $26,113 | $16,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,309 |
| 4 | Washington | $30,709 | $18,000 | 7,405,743 | 884 |
| 5 | Texas | $24,808 | $16,000 | 28,304,596 | 4,515 |
| 6 | Missouri | $25,792 | $16,000 | 6,113,532 | 990 |
| 7 | Maryland | $28,436 | $17,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,000 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $30,647 | $18,000 | 6,859,819 | 779 |
| 9 | Oregon | $28,619 | $17,000 | 4,142,776 | 469 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $28,753 | $17,000 | 3,588,184 | 397 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $34,271 | $21,000 | 693,972 | 116 |
| 12 | Vermont | $29,148 | $17,000 | 623,657 | 49 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $22,432 | $14,000 | 1,815,857 | 329 |
| 14 | Virginia | $25,362 | $16,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,699 |
| 15 | Kentucky | $22,193 | $14,000 | 4,454,189 | 725 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $26,651 | $16,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,012 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $26,018 | $15,000 | 5,576,606 | 723 |
| 18 | New York | $26,875 | $16,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,472 |
| 19 | Delaware | $24,662 | $15,000 | 961,939 | 196 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $21,711 | $14,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,146 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $25,436 | $15,000 | 1,059,639 | 111 |
| 22 | Kansas | $23,304 | $14,000 | 2,913,123 | 446 |
| 23 | Indiana | $22,096 | $13,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,144 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $22,155 | $13,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,839 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $21,557 | $12,000 | 579,315 | 125 |
| 26 | Florida | $22,198 | $15,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,955 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $23,293 | $13,000 | 755,393 | 78 |
| 28 | Georgia | $22,716 | $14,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,718 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $23,231 | $13,000 | 1,342,795 | 222 |
| 30 | Nevada | $21,375 | $13,000 | 2,998,039 | 417 |
| 31 | Michigan | $21,150 | $12,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,439 |
| 32 | Idaho | $22,084 | $13,000 | 1,716,943 | 243 |
| 33 | Ohio | $20,914 | $12,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,911 |
| 34 | Illinois | $22,191 | $13,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,868 |
| 35 | Maine | $22,511 | $13,000 | 1,335,907 | 127 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $28,724 | $25,000 | 1,427,538 | 91 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $20,912 | $13,000 | 3,004,279 | 415 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $22,308 | $14,000 | 2,088,070 | 224 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $19,998 | $13,000 | 5,024,369 | 870 |
| 40 | Alaska | $23,491 | $16,000 | 739,795 | 65 |
| 41 | Alabama | $19,668 | $13,000 | 4,874,747 | 834 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $20,617 | $13,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,546 |
| 43 | Montana | $21,315 | $12,000 | 1,050,493 | 165 |
| 44 | Iowa | $20,937 | $12,000 | 3,145,711 | 540 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $20,964 | $12,000 | 869,666 | 77 |
| 46 | Utah | $20,857 | $12,000 | 3,101,833 | 474 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $19,523 | $13,000 | 4,684,333 | 489 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $19,040 | $12,000 | 2,984,100 | 348 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $18,502 | $11,000 | 3,930,864 | 576 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $20,384 | $12,000 | 1,920,076 | 230 |
| 51 | Wisconsin | $18,177 | $10,000 | 5,795,483 | 806 |
Highest paying states for restaurant servers
| Rank | State | Avg. Restaurant Server Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $26,754 |
| 2 | California | $32,428 |
| 3 | Colorado | $26,113 |
| 4 | Washington | $30,709 |
| 5 | Texas | $24,808 |
| 6 | Missouri | $25,792 |
| 7 | Maryland | $28,436 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $30,647 |
| 9 | Oregon | $28,619 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $28,753 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $34,271 |
| 12 | Vermont | $29,148 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $22,432 |
| 14 | Virginia | $25,362 |
| 15 | Kentucky | $22,193 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $26,651 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $26,018 |
| 18 | New York | $26,875 |
| 19 | Delaware | $24,662 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $21,711 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $25,436 |
| 22 | Kansas | $23,304 |
| 23 | Indiana | $22,096 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $22,155 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $21,557 |
| 26 | Florida | $22,198 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $23,293 |
| 28 | Georgia | $22,716 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $23,231 |
| 30 | Nevada | $21,375 |
| 31 | Michigan | $21,150 |
| 32 | Idaho | $22,084 |
| 33 | Ohio | $20,914 |
| 34 | Illinois | $22,191 |
| 35 | Maine | $22,511 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $28,724 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $20,912 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $22,308 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $19,998 |
| 40 | Alaska | $23,491 |
| 41 | Alabama | $19,668 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $20,617 |
| 43 | Montana | $21,315 |
| 44 | Iowa | $20,937 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $20,964 |
| 46 | Utah | $20,857 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $19,523 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $19,040 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $18,502 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $20,384 |
| 51 | Wisconsin | $18,177 |
Restaurant server best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common food preparation and restaurant questions.
Search for restaurant server jobs
Updated January 8, 2025