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Formal waiter/waitress salary
Average formal waiter/waitress salary
$12.41
Understanding the Formal Waiter/Waitress Salary
The average salary for a formal waiter/waitress is about $25,808 annually, translating to approximately $12 per hour. However, earnings can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and the type of establishment. For example, waitstaff in high-end restaurants typically earn more due to tips and higher hourly wages.
Where to Earn More
States such as California, New York, and Texas often provide higher salaries for formal waitstaff. Cities like San Francisco and New York City consistently rank among the highest paying locations. Additionally, formal waiters/waitresses with several years of experience or those who specialize in fine dining can see a substantial increase in their earnings.
Job Opportunities
To explore job openings, visit various platforms like Zippia, where you can find listings tailored to your skills and experience level. Whether you're starting your career or looking to advance, the hospitality industry offers numerous opportunities for growth.
Let Zippia find your next formal waiter/waitress job
Let Zippia find your next formal waiter/waitress job
Where can a Formal Waiter/Waitress earn more?
Average formal waiter/waitress salary by state
The average formal waiter/waitress salary in New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average formal waiter/waitress salary states are Georgia, Kansas, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for formal waiter/waitresses
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $30,699 | $14.76 |
| 2 | New York | $34,605 | $16.64 |
| 3 | Arizona | $31,194 | $15.00 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $31,260 | $15.03 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $32,290 | $15.52 |
| 6 | Washington | $30,736 | $14.78 |
| 7 | Vermont | $32,380 | $15.57 |
| 8 | Colorado | $27,400 | $13.17 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $33,150 | $15.94 |
| 10 | Maine | $29,480 | $14.17 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $27,433 | $13.19 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $24,824 | $11.93 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $28,116 | $13.52 |
| 14 | Oregon | $28,226 | $13.57 |
| 15 | Alaska | $29,289 | $14.08 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $27,356 | $13.15 |
| 17 | California | $30,041 | $14.44 |
| 18 | Texas | $24,271 | $11.67 |
| 19 | Missouri | $24,073 | $11.57 |
| 20 | Delaware | $26,234 | $12.61 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $31,131 | $14.97 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $22,870 | $11.00 |
| 23 | Idaho | $26,740 | $12.86 |
| 24 | Nevada | $23,919 | $11.50 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $26,257 | $12.62 |
| 26 | Florida | $23,625 | $11.36 |
| 27 | Utah | $25,441 | $12.23 |
| 28 | Illinois | $23,392 | $11.25 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $23,945 | $11.51 |
| 30 | Maryland | $25,770 | $12.39 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $23,652 | $11.37 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $23,184 | $11.15 |
| 33 | Ohio | $21,897 | $10.53 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $22,965 | $11.04 |
| 35 | Iowa | $23,182 | $11.15 |
| 36 | Montana | $20,837 | $10.02 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $21,659 | $10.41 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $22,567 | $10.85 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $21,652 | $10.41 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $22,753 | $10.94 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $21,192 | $10.19 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $22,025 | $10.59 |
| 43 | Kansas | $20,584 | $9.90 |
| 44 | Indiana | $19,182 | $9.22 |
| 45 | Virginia | $21,078 | $10.13 |
| 46 | Alabama | $21,208 | $10.20 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $21,014 | $10.10 |
| 48 | Georgia | $20,590 | $9.90 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $19,793 | $9.52 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $19,078 | $9.17 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $19,315 | $9.29 |
Highest paying cities for formal waiter/waitresses
The highest-paying cities for formal waiter/waitresses are New York, NY, Washington, DC, and Rochester, MN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $34,529 | $16.60 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $33,134 | $15.93 |
| 3 | Rochester, MN | $31,021 | $14.91 |
| 4 | Grand Rapids, MI | $30,576 | $14.70 |
| 5 | Culver City, CA | $29,823 | $14.34 |
| 6 | Colorado Springs, CO | $27,385 | $13.17 |
| 7 | Greenwich, CT | $27,262 | $13.11 |
| 8 | Washington, UT | $26,121 | $12.56 |
| 9 | Dallas, TX | $24,185 | $11.63 |
| 10 | Kansas City, MO | $24,121 | $11.60 |
| 11 | Henderson, NV | $23,779 | $11.43 |
| 12 | Orlando, FL | $23,671 | $11.38 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $23,420 | $11.26 |
| 14 | Cleveland, OH | $22,262 | $10.70 |
| 15 | Fayetteville, NC | $21,587 | $10.38 |
| 16 | Arlington, VA | $21,348 | $10.26 |
| 17 | Mount Pleasant, SC | $21,152 | $10.17 |
| 18 | Canton, GA | $20,617 | $9.91 |
| 19 | Baton Rouge, LA | $19,769 | $9.50 |
| 20 | Starkville, MS | $19,318 | $9.29 |
Formal waiter/waitress salary details
A formal waiter/waitress's salary ranges from $20,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $33,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a formal waiter/waitress's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 75th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| Average | $25,808 | $2,151 | $12 |
| 25th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
| 10th Percentile | $20,000 | $1,667 | $10 |
Highest paying formal waiter/waitress jobs
The highest paying types of formal waiter/waitresses are head server, server manager, and caterer/server.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Server Manager | $61,639 | $5,137 | $29.63 | 153,999 |
| Server And Certified Trainer | $30,423 | $2,535 | $14.63 | 131,460 |
| Banquet Server | $29,017 | $2,418 | $13.95 | 125,381 |
| Server And Hostess | $28,020 | $2,335 | $13.47 | 97,109 |
| Fine Dining Server | $32,140 | $2,678 | $15.45 | 77,549 |
| Lead Server | $28,677 | $2,390 | $13.79 | 123,215 |
Top companies hiring formal waiter/waitresses now:
Which companies pay formal waiter/waitresses the most?
Formal waiter/waitress salaries at Sunningdale Country Club and BallenIsles Country Club are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average formal waiter/waitress salary at companies like Mill River Club and The Amelia Island Club are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunningdale Country Club | $34,963 | $16.81 |
| 2 | BallenIsles Country Club | $33,110 | $15.92 |
| 3 | Mill River Club | $31,974 | $15.37 |
| 4 | The Amelia Island Club | $29,863 | $14.36 |
| 5 | The Stanwich Club | $29,126 | $14.00 |
| 6 | Compass Group USA | $28,860 | $13.88 |
| 7 | Fairview Country Club | $28,526 | $13.71 |
| 8 | Montclair Golf Club | $28,439 | $13.67 |
| 9 | Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina | $28,434 | $13.67 |
| 10 | Lago Mar Country Club | $28,334 | $13.62 |
| 11 | Grand Hotel | $27,835 | $13.38 |
| 12 | Wycliffe Golf & Country Club | $27,618 | $13.28 |
| 13 | Jackie International | $27,433 | $13.19 |
| 14 | Harbour Ridge | $27,240 | $13.10 |
| 15 | Nooksack Northwood Casino | $27,065 | $13.01 |
| 16 | Woodway Country Club | $26,991 | $12.98 |
| 17 | Bloomingdale's | $26,971 | $12.97 |
| 18 | Macy's | $26,939 | $12.95 |
| 19 | Windsor Capital Group, Inc. | $26,780 | $12.88 |
| 20 | jlgc1 | $26,378 | $12.68 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Formal waiter/waitress salary trends
The average formal waiter/waitress salary has risen by $5,621 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average formal waiter/waitress earned $20,187 annually, but today, they earn $25,808 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for formal waiter/waitresses over the last decade.
Compare formal waiter/waitress salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average formal waiter/waitress salary over time
Compare formal waiter/waitress salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Formal waiter/waitress salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $25,800 | $12.41 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $24,900 | $11.96 | +4.8% |
| 2023 | $23,700 | $11.38 | +4.4% |
| 2022 | $22,600 | $10.88 | +4.0% |
| 2021 | $21,700 | $10.45 | +3.7% |
Recently added formal waiter/waitress salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Waiter/Waitress and | Los Angeles, CA | 06/28/2025 | $52,655 |
| Compass Group, North America | Waiter/Waitress and | Newport, RI | 06/27/2025 | $35,479 |
| Compass Group, North America | Waiter/Waitress | Riverview, MI | 06/27/2025 | $31,305 |
| Compass Group, North America | Waiter/Waitress | Columbia, MO | 06/27/2025 | $30,262 |
| Compass Group, North America | Waiter/Waitress and | Nashville, TN | 06/27/2025 | $31,305 |
| Compass Group, North America | Waiter/Waitress and | Winfield, KS | 06/27/2025 | $25,044 |
| Compass Group, North America | Waiter/Waitress | Columbus, OH | 06/27/2025 | $33,392 |
| Compass Group, North America | Waiter/Waitress | East Providence, RI | 06/27/2025 | $31,305 |
| Compass Group, North America | Waiter/Waitress at The Music Center | Los Angeles, CA | 06/27/2025 | $36,063 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Waiter/Waitress and | Eau Claire, WI | 06/26/2025 | $39,653 |
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