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Best states for a server
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to server jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of servers in America is $42,000.
Arizona is the best state for jobs for servers, and Nebraska is the worst. The most common pay in Arizona is $30,663, while the median pay in Nebraska is $21,723.We found that the Midwest is best for servers, and the Northeast is the worst. Washington, DC is the best city in the country for server jobs, where as Arizona is the best state in the country.
10 best states for servers in 2025
1. Arizona
Total server jobs: 1,428 Average annual salary: $30,663 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.27
2. West Virginia
Total server jobs: 314 Average annual salary: $29,566 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
3. New York
Total server jobs: 1,915 Average annual salary: $36,333 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location Quotient: 0.78
4. Massachusetts
Total server jobs: 1,023 Average annual salary: $36,211 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 0.58
5. Vermont
Total server jobs: 73 Average annual salary: $35,964 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 0.49
6. District of Columbia
Total server jobs: 129 Average annual salary: $40,482 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 0.4
7. New Jersey
Total server jobs: 1,330 Average annual salary: $32,712 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 0.87
8. California
Total server jobs: 4,264 Average annual salary: $34,392 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
9. Michigan
Total server jobs: 1,693 Average annual salary: $27,801 Lowest 10 percent earn: $18,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
10. Washington
Total server jobs: 897 Average annual salary: $33,958 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 0.64
Server jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a server
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a server
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $30,663 | $21,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,428 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $29,566 | $20,000 | 1,815,857 | 314 |
| 3 | New York | $36,333 | $24,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,915 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $36,211 | $25,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,023 |
| 5 | Vermont | $35,964 | $25,000 | 623,657 | 73 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $40,482 | $27,000 | 693,972 | 129 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $32,712 | $22,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,330 |
| 8 | California | $34,392 | $23,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,264 |
| 9 | Michigan | $27,801 | $18,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,693 |
| 10 | Washington | $33,958 | $23,000 | 7,405,743 | 897 |
| 11 | Oregon | $32,456 | $22,000 | 4,142,776 | 523 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $28,367 | $19,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,226 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $31,758 | $21,000 | 1,059,639 | 151 |
| 14 | Nevada | $25,707 | $17,000 | 2,998,039 | 649 |
| 15 | Maryland | $30,542 | $20,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,166 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $31,860 | $21,000 | 3,588,184 | 456 |
| 17 | Maine | $31,180 | $22,000 | 1,335,907 | 166 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $28,521 | $20,000 | 1,342,795 | 317 |
| 19 | Colorado | $27,491 | $18,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,304 |
| 20 | Delaware | $29,806 | $20,000 | 961,939 | 182 |
| 21 | Ohio | $24,304 | $16,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,477 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $28,351 | $19,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,134 |
| 23 | Missouri | $25,394 | $17,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,220 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $23,933 | $16,000 | 4,454,189 | 928 |
| 25 | Virginia | $27,584 | $18,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,685 |
| 26 | Indiana | $23,552 | $16,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,411 |
| 27 | Utah | $24,169 | $16,000 | 3,101,833 | 644 |
| 28 | Florida | $23,627 | $16,000 | 20,984,400 | 4,993 |
| 29 | Kansas | $23,718 | $16,000 | 2,913,123 | 593 |
| 30 | Texas | $23,294 | $15,000 | 28,304,596 | 5,381 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $25,552 | $17,000 | 755,393 | 78 |
| 32 | Illinois | $24,886 | $16,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,135 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $22,666 | $15,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,407 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $23,463 | $16,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,889 |
| 35 | Idaho | $24,650 | $16,000 | 1,716,943 | 275 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $23,922 | $16,000 | 3,004,279 | 342 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $23,122 | $15,000 | 579,315 | 125 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $29,032 | $20,000 | 1,427,538 | 87 |
| 39 | Georgia | $23,554 | $16,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,963 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $22,262 | $15,000 | 3,930,864 | 668 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $22,121 | $15,000 | 5,024,369 | 990 |
| 42 | Alaska | $24,865 | $17,000 | 739,795 | 44 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $23,219 | $15,000 | 2,088,070 | 271 |
| 44 | Iowa | $22,311 | $15,000 | 3,145,711 | 591 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $21,866 | $14,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,065 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $22,303 | $15,000 | 869,666 | 65 |
| 47 | Alabama | $21,595 | $14,000 | 4,874,747 | 773 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $21,654 | $14,000 | 2,984,100 | 377 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $20,657 | $14,000 | 4,684,333 | 620 |
| 50 | Montana | $20,840 | $14,000 | 1,050,493 | 207 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $21,723 | $14,000 | 1,920,076 | 273 |
Highest paying states for servers
| Rank | State | Avg. Server Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $30,663 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $29,566 |
| 3 | New York | $36,333 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $36,211 |
| 5 | Vermont | $35,964 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $40,482 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $32,712 |
| 8 | California | $34,392 |
| 9 | Michigan | $27,801 |
| 10 | Washington | $33,958 |
| 11 | Oregon | $32,456 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $28,367 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $31,758 |
| 14 | Nevada | $25,707 |
| 15 | Maryland | $30,542 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $31,860 |
| 17 | Maine | $31,180 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $28,521 |
| 19 | Colorado | $27,491 |
| 20 | Delaware | $29,806 |
| 21 | Ohio | $24,304 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $28,351 |
| 23 | Missouri | $25,394 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $23,933 |
| 25 | Virginia | $27,584 |
| 26 | Indiana | $23,552 |
| 27 | Utah | $24,169 |
| 28 | Florida | $23,627 |
| 29 | Kansas | $23,718 |
| 30 | Texas | $23,294 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $25,552 |
| 32 | Illinois | $24,886 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $22,666 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $23,463 |
| 35 | Idaho | $24,650 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $23,922 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $23,122 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $29,032 |
| 39 | Georgia | $23,554 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $22,262 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $22,121 |
| 42 | Alaska | $24,865 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $23,219 |
| 44 | Iowa | $22,311 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $21,866 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $22,303 |
| 47 | Alabama | $21,595 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $21,654 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $20,657 |
| 50 | Montana | $20,840 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $21,723 |
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Updated January 8, 2025