Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2014

35-3031 Waiters and Waitresses

Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment. Excludes "Counter Attendants, Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop" (35-3022).


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
2,445,230 0.5 % $10.40 $21,640 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $7.92 $8.38 $9.01 $10.74 $15.35
Annual Wage (2) $16,470 $17,430 $18,730 $22,340 $31,930


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 2,009,980 20.88 $10.25 $21,320
Traveler Accommodation 137,460 7.39 $12.04 $25,040
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 67,390 5.84 $10.61 $22,080
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 63,360 17.44 $9.90 $20,580
Special Food Services 61,010 9.61 $11.88 $24,700

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 2,009,980 20.88 $10.25 $21,320
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 63,360 17.44 $9.90 $20,580
Special Food Services 61,010 9.61 $11.88 $24,700
Traveler Accommodation 137,460 7.39 $12.04 $25,040
Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water 850 5.85 $12.08 $25,120

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers 230 0.44 $12.79 $26,600
Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land 290 2.25 $12.25 $25,470
Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water 850 5.85 $12.08 $25,120
Traveler Accommodation 137,460 7.39 $12.04 $25,040
Special Food Services 61,010 9.61 $11.88 $24,700


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.




States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 262,970 17.39 0.96 $11.86 $24,670
Texas 207,050 18.44 1.02 $9.91 $20,620
Florida 203,060 26.49 1.46 $10.60 $22,040
New York 151,270 17.17 0.95 $12.16 $25,290
Pennsylvania 97,240 17.20 0.95 $9.75 $20,270



States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada 37,440 31.47 1.74 $11.03 $22,940
Florida 203,060 26.49 1.46 $10.60 $22,040
Hawaii 14,460 23.61 1.30 $15.22 $31,660
Colorado 50,250 21.22 1.17 $10.11 $21,020
Arizona 52,940 20.95 1.16 $10.35 $21,520



Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii 14,460 23.61 1.30 $15.22 $31,660
Vermont 5,020 16.68 0.92 $14.37 $29,900
Washington 44,170 15.24 0.84 $13.71 $28,520
Massachusetts 58,060 17.48 0.97 $12.91 $26,860
Alaska 4,370 13.45 0.74 $12.68 $26,370




Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 87,120 16.16 0.89 $13.21 $27,470
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 67,410 16.62 0.92 $11.81 $24,570
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 51,910 13.83 0.76 $10.38 $21,590
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 51,700 18.18 1.00 $10.78 $22,430
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 46,260 19.37 1.07 $9.20 $19,140
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 41,850 18.70 1.03 $10.42 $21,670
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 39,010 16.40 0.91 $11.74 $24,410
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 36,630 20.06 1.11 $10.41 $21,650
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 32,500 17.45 0.96 $10.19 $21,190
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 32,070 17.87 0.99 $13.88 $28,870



Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC 5,960 51.26 2.83 $9.12 $18,980
Palm Coast, FL 900 46.18 2.55 $9.75 $20,290
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 5,900 44.78 2.47 $10.97 $22,820
Brunswick, GA 1,700 44.68 2.47 $8.53 $17,750
Panama City-Lynn Haven-Panama City Beach, FL 3,140 43.64 2.41 $9.89 $20,570
Ocean City, NJ 1,670 43.41 2.40 $10.73 $22,320
Naples-Marco Island, FL 5,410 43.32 2.39 $12.94 $26,910
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 3,240 42.45 2.35 $10.21 $21,240
Napa, CA 2,660 39.31 2.17 $13.36 $27,790
Flagstaff, AZ 2,160 37.51 2.07 $12.06 $25,090



Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Salinas, CA 3,110 19.48 1.08 $14.56 $30,280
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 22,840 15.30 0.85 $14.45 $30,060
Honolulu, HI 8,410 18.74 1.04 $14.19 $29,520
Bellingham, WA 1,700 21.30 1.18 $13.89 $28,880
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 32,070 17.87 0.99 $13.88 $28,870
Burlington-South Burlington, VT 2,020 17.15 0.95 $13.63 $28,350
Anchorage, AK 2,770 15.73 0.87 $13.45 $27,970
Olympia, WA 1,450 14.80 0.82 $13.42 $27,920
Napa, CA 2,660 39.31 2.17 $13.36 $27,790
Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Division 1,390 15.22 0.84 $13.28 $27,630

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Maui / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 6,060 36.92 2.04 $16.64 $34,610
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 5,190 13.35 0.74 $8.70 $18,090
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 4,930 16.70 0.92 $8.97 $18,650
Western Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 4,520 17.68 0.98 $8.60 $17,900
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area 4,220 22.25 1.23 $9.26 $19,250

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Shoreham Town, Rhode Island nonmetropolitan area 60 126.46 6.98 $11.11 $23,110
Nantucket Island and Martha's Vineyard nonmetropolitan area 770 48.20 2.66 $13.95 $29,010
Northwest Florida nonmetropolitan area 2,300 41.31 2.28 $16.03 $33,350
Eastern Sierra Region of California nonmetropolitan area 490 37.62 2.08 $9.85 $20,500
Hawaii / Maui / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 6,060 36.92 2.04 $16.64 $34,610

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwestern Washington nonmetropolitan area 910 18.96 1.05 $18.05 $37,540
Hawaii / Maui / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 6,060 36.92 2.04 $16.64 $34,610
Northwest Florida nonmetropolitan area 2,300 41.31 2.28 $16.03 $33,350
Southwest Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 310 25.10 1.39 $14.01 $29,140
Nantucket Island and Martha's Vineyard nonmetropolitan area 770 48.20 2.66 $13.95 $29,010


About May 2014 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2014 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2014 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2014 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2014 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2014 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 25, 2015