State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Server Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Waiters and Waitresses is $35,230 a year ($16.94/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to fall 0.7% through 2034, with about 456,700 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
SOC 35-3031Food Preparation and Serving RelatedLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $35,230
- Projected growth
- -0.7%
- Openings a year
- 456,700
- Typical education
- No formal credential
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Banquet Server, Busser, Cocktail Server, Food Runner, Food Server, Restaurant Server.
How much do Waiters and Waitresses make?
10th percentile$18,100
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$27,750
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$35,230
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$47,110
Upper quartile
90th percentile$64,720
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $35,230 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $16.94/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $40,060 |
| People employed | 2,270,910 |
Versus all US occupations
At $35,230, Waiters and Waitresses earn 31% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $15,750 a year.
Versus food preparation and serving related occupations
The median is typical for the Food Preparation and Serving Related group, where the middle occupation pays $35,275.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $64,720 or more while the bottom 10% earn $18,100, a gap of 3.6×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 2% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Hawaii posts the highest raw median ($62,390), but once local prices are taken into account Vermont leads at $60,373 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Waiters and Waitresses the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $62,390 | $56,743 | 14,090 |
| Vermont | $59,140 | $60,373 | 4,040 |
| Washington | $56,130 | $52,452 | 45,400 |
| Oregon | $48,410 | $46,836 | 23,040 |
| District of Columbia | $47,850 | $43,539 | 11,530 |
| New York | $47,020 | $43,569 | 142,940 |
| New Jersey | $44,960 | $41,322 | 55,800 |
| Colorado | $44,860 | $43,531 | 40,680 |
| Virginia | $44,760 | $44,271 | 59,370 |
| Arizona | $43,950 | $43,654 | 55,950 |
Is Server a growing career?
Waiters and Waitresses-0.7%
All US occupations3.1%
-0.7% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Declining
BLS projects employment of Waiters and Waitresses to change -0.7% over 2024–2034, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.1%. That is 16,300 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 456,700 openings are projected each year, 19.6% of the 2,329,700 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Many establishments will continue to use waiters and waitresses to serve food and beverages and to provide customer service. However, reduced need for these workers is expected due to increases in the use of self-service technology, such as kiosks that allow customers to order and pay for food, and in carryout.
How to become a Server
Waiters and waitresses typically do not need formal education or related work experience to enter the occupation. They typically learn through on-the-job training that lasts 1 month or less.
Most states require workers who serve alcoholic beverages to be at least 18 years old, but some states require servers to be older. Waiters and waitresses who serve alcohol must be familiar with state and local laws concerning the sale of alcoholic beverages.
| Typical entry-level education | No formal educational credential |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Little or no preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Short-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as waiters and waitresses.
- High School Diploma57.6%
- Less than a High School Diploma32.3%
- Post-Secondary Certificate8.3%
- Some College Courses1.1%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)0.7%
What does a Server do?
Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.
Waiters and waitresses take orders and serve food and beverages to customers in dining establishments.
Day-to-day tasks
- Remove dishes and glasses from tables or counters, and take them to kitchen for cleaning.
- Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals, and take action to correct any problems.
- Clean tables or counters after patrons have finished dining.
- Take orders from patrons for food or beverages.
- Stock service areas with supplies such as coffee, food, tableware, and linens.
- Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.
- Fill salt, pepper, sugar, cream, condiment, and napkin containers.
- Present menus to patrons and answer questions about menu items, making recommendations upon request.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where waiters and waitresses work
| Food services and drinking places | 85% |
|---|---|
| Traveler accommodation | 6% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 4% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Active Listening3.5/5
- Speaking3.5/5
- Monitoring3.0/5
- Critical Thinking2.9/5
- Reading Comprehension2.8/5
- Active Learning2.5/5
- Writing2.1/5
- Mathematics2.1/5
Transferable skills
- Service Orientation3.9/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.4/5
- Coordination3.1/5
- Persuasion2.8/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.8/5
- Time Management2.8/5
- Complex Problem Solving2.6/5
- Quality Control Analysis2.3/5
Tools and software
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Instant messaging software
- Point of sale POS software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Server?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary4.1
Investigative1.0
Artistic1.8
Socialprimary4.7
Enterprising4.1
Conventionalprimary5.0
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with teaching, helping and working directly with other people.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Server: frequently asked questions
How much do Waiters and Waitresses make?
Waiters and Waitresses earn a median of $35,230 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 31% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $16.94/hr. The middle half earn between $27,750 and $47,110. The top 10% earn $64,720 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Server?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Waiters and Waitresses, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 57.6% hold high school diploma.
Is Server a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 0.7% over 2024–2034, a loss of 16,300 jobs (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 456,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Server do?
Waiters and waitresses take orders and serve food and beverages to customers in dining establishments. A core O*NET task: remove dishes and glasses from tables or counters, and take them to kitchen for cleaning. Employers most often ask for Web page creation and editing software.
Which states pay Waiters and Waitresses the most?
The highest state medians for Waiters and Waitresses are Hawaii ($62,390), Vermont ($59,140), Washington ($56,130) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Vermont moves to the top at $60,373.
What personality type suits a Server?
O*NET scores Waiters and Waitresses highest on the Conventional, Social and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with teaching, helping and working directly with other people. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESFJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.