The average wage for a food server in the United States is around $13.03 per hour.
Avg Wage
Food servers earn an average hourly wage of $13.03.
Salaries typically start from $9.91 per hour and go up to $17.12 per hour.
58% below national average Updated in 2019
Food server earnings by seniority
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Food server salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $26,480 |
| Alabama | $18,480 |
| Arkansas | $17,867 |
| Arizona | $21,125 |
| California | $28,387 |
| Colorado | $21,230 |
| Connecticut | $29,033 |
| District of Columbia | $30,240 |
| Delaware | $20,150 |
| Florida | $24,088 |
| Georgia | $20,074 |
| Guam | $19,120 |
| Hawaii | $52,110 |
| Iowa | $21,367 |
| Idaho | $20,780 |
| Illinois | $21,938 |
| Indiana | $22,875 |
| Kansas | $21,198 |
| Kentucky | $19,450 |
| Louisiana | $20,839 |
| Massachusetts | $27,020 |
| Maryland | $23,410 |
| Maine | $27,550 |
| Michigan | $24,109 |
| Minnesota | $22,360 |
| Missouri | $23,333 |
| Mississippi | $18,760 |
| Montana | $20,990 |
| North Carolina | $21,718 |
| North Dakota | $18,720 |
| Nebraska | $25,610 |
| New Hampshire | $24,850 |
| New Jersey | $27,530 |
| New Mexico | $18,740 |
| Nevada | $24,980 |
| New York | $31,534 |
| Ohio | $21,512 |
| Oklahoma | $19,609 |
| Oregon | $28,749 |
| Pennsylvania | $24,175 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,040 |
| Rhode Island | $23,980 |
| South Carolina | $18,500 |
| South Dakota | $20,010 |
| Tennessee | $18,444 |
| Texas | $22,465 |
| Utah | $20,590 |
| Virginia | $20,030 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $20,380 |
| Vermont | $31,880 |
| Washington | $27,720 |
| Wisconsin | $19,590 |
| West Virginia | $20,080 |
| Wyoming | $19,100 |
How do food server salaries compare to similar careers?
Food servers earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than concierges but more than janitors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Concierge salary | $28K |
| Florist salary | $27K |
| Security guard salary | $27K |
| Library assistant salary | $27K |
| Vehicle cleaner salary | $26K |
| Food server salary | $27K |
| Medical administrative assistant salary | $27K |
| Receptionist salary | $26K |
| Recreation worker salary | $25K |
| Janitor salary | $25K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)