Best states for a server and hostess

Q: What is the best state for server and hostesses?

The best state to be a server and hostess is Arizona based on server and hostess salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for server and hostesses?

The highest paying state for server and hostesses is Oklahoma based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for server and hostesses?

The worst state for server and hostesses is Nebraska, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Rank 1 - 10
11 - 20
21 - 30
31 - 40
41 - 51

Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for server and hostesses? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for server and hostess jobs.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for server and hostesses. We found that Arizona is the best state in the nation for server and hostesses, and people in Queensbury earn the most in the field.

To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for server and hostesses. Arizona is the best state for server and hostesses, where the median salary is $30,418.We found that the South is best for server and hostesses, and the Northeast is the worst. Binghamton, NY is the best city in the country for server and hostess jobs, where as Arizona is the best state in the country.

10 best states for server and hostesses in 2025

1. Arizona
Total server and hostess jobs: 1,169
Average annual salary: $30,418
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.4
Server and hostess jobs in Arizona
2. New York
Total server and hostess jobs: 1,470
Average annual salary: $37,082
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000
Location Quotient:
0.8
Server and hostess jobs in New York
3. West Virginia
Total server and hostess jobs: 234
Average annual salary: $28,290
Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
1.08
Server and hostess jobs in West Virginia
4. Massachusetts
Total server and hostess jobs: 801
Average annual salary: $34,782
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
0.61
Server and hostess jobs in Massachusetts
5. Colorado
Total server and hostess jobs: 1,040
Average annual salary: $27,600
Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
1.23
Server and hostess jobs in Colorado
6. Maine
Total server and hostess jobs: 159
Average annual salary: $30,057
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Location Quotient:
0.84
Server and hostess jobs in Maine
7. Michigan
Total server and hostess jobs: 1,232
Average annual salary: $27,531
Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Location Quotient:
1.11
Server and hostess jobs in Michigan
8. New Hampshire
Total server and hostess jobs: 282
Average annual salary: $27,290
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Location Quotient:
1.13
Server and hostess jobs in New Hampshire
9. Vermont
Total server and hostess jobs: 53
Average annual salary: $34,429
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Location Quotient:
0.48
Server and hostess jobs in Vermont
10. District of Columbia
Total server and hostess jobs: 90
Average annual salary: $38,508
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Location Quotient:
0.38
Server and hostess jobs in District of Columbia

Server and hostess jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a server and hostess

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a server and hostess

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Arizona	$30,418	$21,000	7,016,270	1,169
2	New York	$37,082	$27,000	19,849,399	1,470
3	West Virginia	$28,290	$20,000	1,815,857	234
4	Massachusetts	$34,782	$26,000	6,859,819	801
5	Colorado	$27,600	$19,000	5,607,154	1,040
6	Maine	$30,057	$23,000	1,335,907	159
7	Michigan	$27,531	$19,000	9,962,311	1,232
8	New Hampshire	$27,290	$21,000	1,342,795	282
9	Vermont	$34,429	$26,000	623,657	53
10	District of Columbia	$38,508	$28,000	693,972	90
11	California	$31,972	$22,000	39,536,653	3,399
12	Washington	$31,828	$22,000	7,405,743	729
13	Maryland	$29,065	$21,000	6,052,177	887
14	Oregon	$29,928	$21,000	4,142,776	429
15	Rhode Island	$30,073	$22,000	1,059,639	95
16	Pennsylvania	$27,047	$19,000	12,805,537	1,584
17	Delaware	$28,347	$20,000	961,939	149
18	Texas	$24,266	$17,000	28,304,596	3,702
19	New Jersey	$27,865	$20,000	9,005,644	1,109
20	Connecticut	$28,570	$21,000	3,588,184	373
21	Kentucky	$23,039	$16,000	4,454,189	730
22	Ohio	$23,410	$16,000	11,658,609	1,685
23	Nevada	$23,386	$16,000	2,998,039	549
24	Minnesota	$27,633	$19,000	5,576,606	575
25	Indiana	$22,751	$16,000	6,666,818	1,123
26	Illinois	$24,968	$17,000	12,802,023	1,540
27	Iowa	$23,441	$16,000	3,145,711	429
28	North Dakota	$24,860	$17,000	755,393	52
29	Kansas	$22,893	$16,000	2,913,123	390
30	Missouri	$22,607	$16,000	6,113,532	932
31	Virginia	$24,932	$18,000	8,470,020	1,134
32	Idaho	$23,287	$16,000	1,716,943	217
33	Arkansas	$23,044	$16,000	3,004,279	276
34	Tennessee	$21,811	$15,000	6,715,984	961
35	Wyoming	$22,295	$15,000	579,315	93
36	Utah	$22,852	$16,000	3,101,833	374
37	Hawaii	$27,568	$20,000	1,427,538	73
38	Florida	$21,878	$15,000	20,984,400	3,947
39	South Carolina	$21,311	$15,000	5,024,369	729
40	Georgia	$22,035	$15,000	10,429,379	1,368
41	Alaska	$23,721	$17,000	739,795	45
42	New Mexico	$21,907	$15,000	2,088,070	209
43	North Carolina	$20,968	$15,000	10,273,419	1,416
44	Mississippi	$20,915	$14,000	2,984,100	309
45	Alabama	$20,853	$14,000	4,874,747	539
46	Wisconsin	$21,339	$15,000	5,795,483	591
47	Louisiana	$19,974	$14,000	4,684,333	496
48	South Dakota	$21,593	$15,000	869,666	54
49	Oklahoma	$18,830	$13,000	3,930,864	498
50	Montana	$20,041	$14,000	1,050,493	173
51	Nebraska	$20,984	$14,000	1,920,076	218

Highest paying states for server and hostesses

Rank	State	Avg. Server And Hostess Salary
1	Arizona	$30,418
2	New York	$37,082
3	West Virginia	$28,290
4	Massachusetts	$34,782
5	Colorado	$27,600
6	Maine	$30,057
7	Michigan	$27,531
8	New Hampshire	$27,290
9	Vermont	$34,429
10	District of Columbia	$38,508
11	California	$31,972
12	Washington	$31,828
13	Maryland	$29,065
14	Oregon	$29,928
15	Rhode Island	$30,073
16	Pennsylvania	$27,047
17	Delaware	$28,347
18	Texas	$24,266
19	New Jersey	$27,865
20	Connecticut	$28,570
21	Kentucky	$23,039
22	Ohio	$23,410
23	Nevada	$23,386
24	Minnesota	$27,633
25	Indiana	$22,751
26	Illinois	$24,968
27	Iowa	$23,441
28	North Dakota	$24,860
29	Kansas	$22,893
30	Missouri	$22,607
31	Virginia	$24,932
32	Idaho	$23,287
33	Arkansas	$23,044
34	Tennessee	$21,811
35	Wyoming	$22,295
36	Utah	$22,852
37	Hawaii	$27,568
38	Florida	$21,878
39	South Carolina	$21,311
40	Georgia	$22,035
41	Alaska	$23,721
42	New Mexico	$21,907
43	North Carolina	$20,968
44	Mississippi	$20,915
45	Alabama	$20,853
46	Wisconsin	$21,339
47	Louisiana	$19,974
48	South Dakota	$21,593
49	Oklahoma	$18,830
50	Montana	$20,041
51	Nebraska	$20,984

Server and hostess best states FAQs

What is the best state for server and hostesses?

What is the highest paying state for server and hostesses?

What is the worst state for server and hostesses?

Have more questions? See all answers to common food preparation and restaurant questions.

Search for server and hostess jobs

Zippia Careers
Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Server And Hostess
Best states for Server And Hostesses

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs

Total server and hostess jobs:	1,169
Average annual salary:	$30,418
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$21,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$43,000
Location Quotient:	1.4

Best states for a server and hostess

10 best states for server and hostesses in 2025

1. Arizona

2. New York

3. West Virginia

4. Massachusetts

5. Colorado

6. Maine

7. Michigan

8. New Hampshire

9. Vermont

10. District of Columbia