Restaurant Server Salary
Updated December 12, 2022
Average Restaurant Server Salary
$11.81hourly
$24,558 yearly
Entry level Salary
$15,000 yearly$15,000
10%
$24,558
Median
$37,000
90%
How much does a Restaurant Server make?
Restaurant servers make $24,558 per year on average, or $11.81 per hour, in the United States. Restaurant servers on the lower end of that spectrum, the bottom 10% to be exact, make roughly $15,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $37,000.
Location impacts how much a restaurant server can expect to make. Restaurant servers make the most in California, Washington, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Connecticut.
Highest Paying States For Restaurant Servers
- State View
- County View
Average Salary:
Restaurant Server average salary by State
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $26,754 | $12.86 | 1,116 |
| 2 | California | $32,428 | $15.59 | 4,356 |
| 3 | Colorado | $26,113 | $12.55 | 1,309 |
| 4 | Washington | $30,709 | $14.76 | 884 |
| 5 | Texas | $24,808 | $11.93 | 4,515 |
| 6 | Missouri | $25,792 | $12.40 | 990 |
| 7 | Maryland | $28,436 | $13.67 | 1,000 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $30,647 | $14.73 | 779 |
| 9 | Oregon | $28,619 | $13.76 | 469 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $28,753 | $13.82 | 397 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $34,271 | $16.48 | 116 |
| 12 | Vermont | $29,148 | $14.01 | 49 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $22,432 | $10.78 | 329 |
| 14 | Virginia | $25,362 | $12.19 | 1,699 |
| 15 | Kentucky | $22,193 | $10.67 | 725 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $26,651 | $12.81 | 1,012 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $26,018 | $12.51 | 723 |
| 18 | New York | $26,875 | $12.92 | 1,472 |
| 19 | Delaware | $24,662 | $11.86 | 196 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $21,711 | $10.44 | 1,146 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $25,436 | $12.23 | 111 |
| 22 | Kansas | $23,304 | $11.20 | 446 |
| 23 | Indiana | $22,096 | $10.62 | 1,144 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $22,155 | $10.65 | 1,839 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $21,557 | $10.36 | 125 |
| 26 | Florida | $22,198 | $10.67 | 3,955 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $23,293 | $11.20 | 78 |
| 28 | Georgia | $22,716 | $10.92 | 1,718 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $23,231 | $11.17 | 222 |
| 30 | Nevada | $21,375 | $10.28 | 417 |
| 31 | Michigan | $21,150 | $10.17 | 1,439 |
| 32 | Idaho | $22,084 | $10.62 | 243 |
| 33 | Ohio | $20,914 | $10.05 | 1,911 |
| 34 | Illinois | $22,191 | $10.67 | 1,868 |
| 35 | Maine | $22,511 | $10.82 | 127 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $28,724 | $13.81 | 91 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $20,912 | $10.05 | 415 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $22,308 | $10.72 | 224 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $19,998 | $9.61 | 870 |
| 40 | Alaska | $23,491 | $11.29 | 65 |
| 41 | Alabama | $19,668 | $9.46 | 834 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $20,617 | $9.91 | 1,546 |
| 43 | Montana | $21,315 | $10.25 | 165 |
| 44 | Iowa | $20,937 | $10.07 | 540 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $20,964 | $10.08 | 77 |
| 46 | Utah | $20,857 | $10.03 | 474 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $19,523 | $9.39 | 489 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $19,040 | $9.15 | 348 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $18,502 | $8.90 | 576 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $20,384 | $9.80 | 230 |
| 51 | Wisconsin | $18,177 | $8.74 | 806 |
Highest Paying Cities For Restaurant Servers
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $34,261 | $16.47 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $32,666 | $15.70 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $30,725 | $14.77 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $30,697 | $14.76 |
| 5 | Portland, OR | $28,595 | $13.75 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $26,932 | $12.95 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $26,782 | $12.88 |
| 8 | Washington, NJ | $26,583 | $12.78 |
| 9 | Aurora, CO | $26,117 | $12.56 |
| 10 | Saint Louis, MO | $25,775 | $12.39 |
| 11 | Arlington, VA | $25,380 | $12.20 |
| 12 | San Antonio, TX | $24,906 | $11.97 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $22,684 | $10.91 |
| 14 | Portland, ME | $22,487 | $10.81 |
| 15 | Miami, FL | $22,257 | $10.70 |
Restaurant Servers Salary Details
What is a Restaurant Server's Salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 75th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| Average | $24,558 | $2,047 | $12 |
| 25th Percentile | $19,000 | $1,583 | $9 |
| 10th Percentile | $15,000 | $1,250 | $7 |
Highest Paying Types of Restaurant Servers
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waitress | $24,770 | $2,064 | $11.91 | 87,315 |
| Hostess | $26,298 | $2,192 | $12.64 | 82,629 |
| Waitstaff | $25,104 | $2,092 | $12.07 | 130,467 |
| Server And Hostess | $28,020 | $2,335 | $13.47 | 97,109 |
| Food Runner | $25,536 | $2,128 | $12.28 | 240,853 |
| Server/Barista | $30,749 | $2,562 | $14.78 | 173,073 |
Here are the five companies hiring the most now:
Which Companies Pay Restaurant Servers The Most?
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California, Berkeley | $45,469 | $21.86 | |
| 2 | University of California | $42,939 | $20.64 | 4 |
| 3 | Northampton Country Club | $41,717 | $20.06 | |
| 4 | Lake Naomi Club | $39,998 | $19.23 | |
| 5 | Bay Head Yacht Club | $39,736 | $19.10 | |
| 6 | Cornell University | $39,039 | $18.77 | 3 |
| 7 | Kohler Co. | $36,335 | $17.47 | 9 |
| 8 | Springfield Golf & Country Club | $34,037 | $16.36 | |
| 9 | Four Seasons | $32,622 | $15.68 | |
| 10 | Tallgrass Technologies | $32,325 | $15.54 | |
| 11 | University | $32,158 | $15.46 | |
| 12 | Bethesda Country Club | $31,597 | $15.19 | 2 |
| 13 | Hyde Park Golf & Country Club | $31,133 | $14.97 | |
| 14 | Erickson Senior Living | $30,794 | $14.80 | 81 |
| 15 | West | $29,669 | $14.26 | |
| 16 | Kirby | $29,646 | $14.25 | |
| 17 | Cajun Industries | $29,046 | $13.96 | 1 |
| 18 | Earth Fare | $29,020 | $13.95 | 16 |
| 19 | Texas Roadhouse | $28,811 | $13.85 | 1,479 |
| 20 | Sentry | $28,770 | $13.83 | 5 |
Restaurant Server Pay Trends
Average Restaurant Server Salary Over Time
Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Restaurant Server Salary By Year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $24,600 | $11.81 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $23,700 | $11.38 | +4.8% |
| 2021 | $22,500 | $10.83 | +4.4% |
| 2020 | $21,500 | $10.35 | +4.0% |
| 2019 | $20,700 | $9.94 | +3.7% |
Recently Added Restaurant Server Salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erickson Living | HS Student Restaurant Server | Tinton Falls, NJ | 11/29/2022 | $30,262 |
| Pyramid Hotel Group | Restaurant Server PM | Birmingham, AL | 11/29/2022 | $41,740 |
| Streets of New York | Restaurant Server | Phoenix, AZ | 11/29/2022 | $41,740 |
| Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Cincinnati Downtown | Restaurant Server | Cincinnati, OH | 11/29/2022 | $20,870 |
| Benchmark | Server-Marketplace Restaurant Flat Rate-Private Hotel and Training | Westlake, TX | 11/29/2022 | $35,062 |
| Roth Socialhouse | Restaurant Server | Turlock, CA | 11/29/2022 | $31,305 |
| Nordstrom Inc. | Restaurant Server-Marketplace CafÉ | White Plains, NY | 11/28/2022 | $31,305 |
| Erickson Living | Restaurant Server | Hingham, MA | 11/28/2022 | $33,392 |
| Benchmark Hospitality | Server-Marketplace Restaurant Flat Rate-Private Hotel and Training | Westlake, OH | 11/27/2022 | $35,062 |
| Embassy Suites West Valley | Hotel Restaurant Server | West Valley City, UT | 11/27/2022 | $16,696 |
Restaurant Server Salaries FAQs
What State Pays Restaurant Servers The Most?
California pays Restaurant Servers the most in the United States, with an average salary of $34,271 per year, or $16.48 per hour.
How Do I Know If I'm Being Paid Fairly As A Restaurant Server?
You know if you are being paid fairly as a Restaurant Server if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in California you should be paid close to $32,428 per year.
What Type Of Restaurant Server Gets Paid The Most?
Caterer/Server gets paid the most. Caterer/Server made a median salary of $33,737. The best-paid 10 percent make $40,000, while the lowest-paid 10 percent make $28,000.
Have more questions? See all answers to common food preparation and restaurant questions.
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