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Caterer/server salary
Average caterer/server salary
$16.22
Average Caterer/Server Salary Overview
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Caterer/Server in the United States is approximately $33,737 annually, translating to about $16 per hour. These figures can vary significantly based on several factors, including the establishment type, geographic location, and the individual's experience level.
Salary Variation by State
Caterers and servers often find higher wages in metropolitan areas where demand for dining services is strong. For instance, states such as California, New York, and Texas typically offer competitive salaries compared to the national average. In addition, cities with thriving culinary scenes often provide better earning potential.
Highest Paying Positions
Positions such as event caterer or private chef may command higher salaries than traditional server roles, reflecting the specialized skills and responsibilities involved. By researching local job markets and networking within the food service industry, aspiring caterers and servers can discover lucrative opportunities tailored to their skills and interests.
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Where can a Caterer/Server earn more?
Average caterer/server salary by state
The average caterer/server salary in Washington, Massachusetts, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average caterer/server salary states are South Carolina, Alabama, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for caterer/servers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | $35,857 | $17.24 |
| 2 | Washington | $47,766 | $22.96 |
| 3 | New York | $41,848 | $20.12 |
| 4 | Michigan | $32,881 | $15.81 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $39,673 | $19.07 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $42,159 | $20.27 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $40,958 | $19.69 |
| 8 | Vermont | $41,708 | $20.05 |
| 9 | Oregon | $39,286 | $18.89 |
| 10 | Missouri | $32,986 | $15.86 |
| 11 | California | $41,319 | $19.86 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $44,849 | $21.56 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $36,167 | $17.39 |
| 14 | Maryland | $37,382 | $17.97 |
| 15 | Arizona | $35,991 | $17.30 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $32,666 | $15.70 |
| 17 | Alaska | $39,931 | $19.20 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $35,158 | $16.90 |
| 19 | Montana | $31,198 | $15.00 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $34,439 | $16.56 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $29,157 | $14.02 |
| 22 | Illinois | $32,658 | $15.70 |
| 23 | Idaho | $31,554 | $15.17 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $28,606 | $13.75 |
| 25 | Utah | $31,303 | $15.05 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $28,866 | $13.88 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $31,314 | $15.05 |
| 28 | Delaware | $32,730 | $15.74 |
| 29 | Maine | $31,612 | $15.20 |
| 30 | Kansas | $29,902 | $14.38 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $27,494 | $13.22 |
| 32 | Texas | $27,584 | $13.26 |
| 33 | Georgia | $28,278 | $13.60 |
| 34 | Nevada | $28,625 | $13.76 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $35,515 | $17.07 |
| 36 | Florida | $28,427 | $13.67 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $27,081 | $13.02 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $28,831 | $13.86 |
| 39 | Virginia | $29,028 | $13.96 |
| 40 | Ohio | $25,874 | $12.44 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $26,655 | $12.81 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $25,627 | $12.32 |
| 43 | Iowa | $27,051 | $13.01 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $28,136 | $13.53 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $26,920 | $12.94 |
| 46 | Indiana | $24,012 | $11.54 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $23,850 | $11.47 |
| 48 | Alabama | $25,125 | $12.08 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $24,547 | $11.80 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $24,229 | $11.65 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $26,199 | $12.60 |
Highest paying cities for caterer/servers
The highest-paying cities for caterer/servers are Seattle, WA, Albany, NY, and San Francisco, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $47,964 | $23.06 |
| 2 | Albany, NY | $43,239 | $20.79 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $42,972 | $20.66 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $42,238 | $20.31 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $35,853 | $17.24 |
| 6 | Saint Charles, MO | $33,007 | $15.87 |
| 7 | Buffalo Grove, IL | $32,887 | $15.81 |
| 8 | Ann Arbor, MI | $32,621 | $15.68 |
| 9 | Milwaukee, WI | $31,152 | $14.98 |
| 10 | Jacksonville, FL | $29,051 | $13.97 |
| 11 | Blacksburg, VA | $28,774 | $13.83 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $28,320 | $13.62 |
| 13 | Austin, TX | $27,516 | $13.23 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $27,142 | $13.05 |
| 15 | West Lafayette, IN | $24,039 | $11.56 |
Caterer/server salary details
A caterer/server's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $46,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a caterer/server's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| 75th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| Average | $33,737 | $2,811 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying caterer/server jobs
The highest paying types of caterer/servers are bartender server, fine dining server, and customer service and serving.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waitstaff | $25,104 | $2,092 | $12.07 | 130,467 |
| Server And Hostess | $28,020 | $2,335 | $13.47 | 97,109 |
| Dining Room Server | $29,540 | $2,462 | $14.20 | 99,079 |
| Server/Barista | $30,749 | $2,562 | $14.78 | 173,073 |
| Fine Dining Server | $32,140 | $2,678 | $15.45 | 77,549 |
| Food Server | $25,209 | $2,101 | $12.12 | 125,455 |
Top companies hiring caterer/servers now:
Which companies pay caterer/servers the most?
Caterer/server salaries at Lunds & Byerlys and Milwaukee Art Museum are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average caterer/server salary at companies like Rich Products and McMenamins Pubs & Breweries are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lunds & Byerlys | $41,936 | $20.16 |
| 2 | Milwaukee Art Museum | $41,758 | $20.08 |
| 3 | Rich Products | $41,729 | $20.06 |
| 4 | McMenamins Pubs & Breweries | $38,840 | $18.67 |
| 5 | Erickson Senior Living | $38,344 | $18.43 |
| 6 | ZeroCater | $37,290 | $17.93 |
| 7 | Foxtail Foods | $36,899 | $17.74 |
| 8 | Rutgers University | $35,741 | $17.18 |
| 9 | Root Insurance | $34,236 | $16.46 |
| 10 | Sodexo Management, Inc. | $32,809 | $15.77 |
| 11 | Blue Crew Holdings LLC | $32,214 | $15.49 |
| 12 | The Walt Disney Company | $31,895 | $15.33 |
| 13 | Sifted | $31,866 | $15.32 |
| 14 | Del Monte Electric Co. | $31,863 | $15.32 |
| 15 | Remote | $31,844 | $15.31 |
| 16 | HUNGRY | $31,656 | $15.22 |
| 17 | NANA | $31,280 | $15.04 |
| 18 | Alterra Mountain | $31,087 | $14.95 |
| 19 | Pedestal Foods | $30,516 | $14.67 |
| 20 | Proof of the Pudding | $30,386 | $14.61 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Caterer/server salary trends
The average caterer/server salary has risen by $7,347 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average caterer/server earned $26,390 annually, but today, they earn $33,737 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for caterer/servers over the last decade.
Compare caterer/server salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average caterer/server salary over time
Compare caterer/server salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Caterer/server salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $33,700 | $16.22 | +3.6% |
| 2025 | $32,500 | $15.64 | +4.8% |
| 2024 | $31,000 | $14.88 | +4.4% |
| 2023 | $29,600 | $14.22 | +4.0% |
| 2022 | $28,400 | $13.66 | +3.7% |
Recently added caterer/server salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass Group, North America | Catering Server-Crypto.com Arena | Los Angeles, CA | 06/27/2025 | $65,260 |
| Erickson Senior Living | Catering Server | Tinton Falls, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $37,566 |
| Thanksgiving Point | Server-Catering and Banquets | Lehi, UT | 06/26/2025 | $29,218 |
| Rutgers University | Catering Server-Casual | Downe, NJ | 06/26/2025 | $37,566 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Server/Catering Attendant | Louisville, KY | 06/25/2025 | $32,349 |
| Delaware North Companies | Catering Server, American Family Field | Milwaukee, WI | 06/25/2025 | $20,870 |
| Asmglobal | Catering Server | Stockton, CA | 06/20/2025 | $33,392 |
| Compass Group, North America | Catering Server-Desert Diamond Arena | Glendale, AZ | 06/19/2025 | $45,914 |
| Compass Group, North America | Restaurant & Catering Server | Portland, OR | 06/12/2025 | $33,288 |
| Compass Group, North America | Catering Server | Glencoe, IL | 06/12/2025 | $41,740 |
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