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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

35-3031 Waiters and Waitresses

Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment. Excludes “Fast Food and Counter Workers” (35-3023).


National estimates for Waiters and Waitresses
Industry profile for Waiters and Waitresses
Geographic profile for Waiters and Waitresses

National estimates for Waiters and Waitresses:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Waiters and Waitresses:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
1,804,030 0.8 % $ 13.95 $ 29,010 0.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for Waiters and Waitresses:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 8.58 $ 9.63 $ 12.50 $ 14.83 $ 22.07
Annual Wage (2) $ 17,840 $ 20,020 $ 26,000 $ 30,850 $ 45,910


Industry profile for Waiters and Waitresses:

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Waiters and Waitresses:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 1,529,610 16.22 $ 13.93 $ 28,970
Traveler Accommodation 71,020 5.17 $ 14.16 $ 29,440
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 56,820 5.11 $ 13.80 $ 28,710
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 39,150 12.76 $ 13.67 $ 28,430
Special Food Services 26,770 5.65 $ 15.69 $ 32,640

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Waiters and Waitresses:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 1,529,610 16.22 $ 13.93 $ 28,970
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 39,150 12.76 $ 13.67 $ 28,430
Special Food Services 26,770 5.65 $ 15.69 $ 32,640
Traveler Accommodation 71,020 5.17 $ 14.16 $ 29,440
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 56,820 5.11 $ 13.80 $ 28,710

Top paying industries for Waiters and Waitresses:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations 1,290 0.32 $ 18.08 $ 37,610
Technical and Trade Schools (8) (8) $ 17.62 $ 36,650
Management of Companies and Enterprises 2,200 0.09 $ 16.03 $ 33,340
Grantmaking and Giving Services 130 0.09 $ 15.87 $ 33,010
Elementary and Secondary Schools 120 (7) $ 15.72 $ 32,700


Geographic profile for Waiters and Waitresses:

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



Map of employment of waiters and waitresses by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Waiters and Waitresses:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 171,630 10.38 0.81 $ 17.35 $ 36,090
Texas 171,060 13.99 1.09 $ 11.97 $ 24,890
Florida 170,290 19.79 1.55 $ 13.94 $ 28,990
New York 91,740 10.58 0.83 $ 19.09 $ 39,710
Ohio 64,740 12.45 0.97 $ 11.45 $ 23,810


Map of location quotient of waiters and waitresses by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Waiters and Waitresses:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada 27,670 21.46 1.68 $ 11.58 $ 24,090
Florida 170,290 19.79 1.55 $ 13.94 $ 28,990
Oklahoma 26,570 17.06 1.33 $ 11.32 $ 23,540
Louisiana 29,510 16.45 1.28 $ 9.95 $ 20,700
Hawaii 8,560 15.62 1.22 $ 18.93 $ 39,370


Map of annual mean wages of waiters and waitresses by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Waiters and Waitresses:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 5,820 8.79 0.69 $ 23.19 $ 48,240
Washington 30,000 9.36 0.73 $ 21.39 $ 44,490
Arizona 44,820 15.56 1.21 $ 19.43 $ 40,400
New York 91,740 10.58 0.83 $ 19.09 $ 39,710
Hawaii 8,560 15.62 1.22 $ 18.93 $ 39,370



Map of employment of waiters and waitresses by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Waiters and Waitresses:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 91,580 10.55 0.82 $ 18.06 $ 37,560
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 62,430 10.91 0.85 $ 17.49 $ 36,370
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 48,860 13.61 1.06 $ 12.13 $ 25,240
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 45,210 10.68 0.83 $ 12.48 $ 25,960
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 44,210 15.26 1.19 $ 12.49 $ 25,970
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 40,790 16.63 1.30 $ 14.00 $ 29,120
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 37,410 14.45 1.13 $ 11.51 $ 23,940
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 32,010 15.12 1.18 $ 19.59 $ 40,740
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 31,380 10.70 0.84 $ 17.06 $ 35,480
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 29,960 11.28 0.88 $ 14.07 $ 29,260


Map of location quotient of waiters and waitresses by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Waiters and Waitresses:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Ocean City, NJ 1,580 40.44 3.16 $ 15.19 $ 31,590
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL 2,930 39.38 3.08 $ 10.21 $ 21,240
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC 6,150 37.87 2.96 $ 10.01 $ 20,810
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 4,190 36.73 2.87 $ 14.31 $ 29,760
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL 5,190 35.43 2.77 $ 15.02 $ 31,240
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 4,070 35.04 2.74 $ 14.82 $ 30,830
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC 2,450 32.69 2.55 $ 10.82 $ 22,500
Brunswick, GA 1,260 31.00 2.42 $ 9.73 $ 20,240
The Villages, FL 1,020 30.52 2.38 $ 13.37 $ 27,800
Flagstaff, AZ 1,760 30.38 2.37 $ 19.76 $ 41,100


Map of annual mean wages of waiters and waitresses by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Waiters and Waitresses:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Glens Falls, NY 900 18.53 1.45 $ 22.87 $ 47,570
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 17,150 8.94 0.70 $ 22.64 $ 47,080
Ithaca, NY 470 10.17 0.79 $ 21.62 $ 44,970
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 4,150 9.89 0.77 $ 21.39 $ 44,500
Kingston, NY 990 18.32 1.43 $ 20.89 $ 43,440
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 1,010 11.74 0.92 $ 20.69 $ 43,040
Olympia-Tumwater, WA 920 8.17 0.64 $ 20.65 $ 42,950
Elmira, NY 350 10.85 0.85 $ 20.55 $ 42,740
Kennewick-Richland, WA 1,080 9.23 0.72 $ 20.36 $ 42,340
Portland-South Portland, ME 2,680 13.55 1.06 $ 20.35 $ 42,340

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Waiters and Waitresses:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 4,540 12.08 0.94 $ 9.58 $ 19,930
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 4,300 13.67 1.07 $ 11.52 $ 23,950
East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 4,110 30.85 2.41 $ 9.88 $ 20,550
Mountain North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 3,380 26.94 2.10 $ 11.44 $ 23,800
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 3,270 28.04 2.19 $ 18.16 $ 37,780

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Waiters and Waitresses:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Florida nonmetropolitan area 3,070 40.54 3.17 $ 14.20 $ 29,530
East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 4,110 30.85 2.41 $ 9.88 $ 20,550
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 3,270 28.04 2.19 $ 18.16 $ 37,780
Mountain North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 3,380 26.94 2.10 $ 11.44 $ 23,800
Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area 1,690 23.96 1.87 $ 12.71 $ 26,430

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Waiters and Waitresses:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 800 13.82 1.08 $ 19.09 $ 39,710
Arizona nonmetropolitan area 1,310 14.48 1.13 $ 19.02 $ 39,560
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area 1,810 12.06 0.94 $ 18.88 $ 39,280
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area 1,610 13.45 1.05 $ 18.71 $ 38,910
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 1,520 11.23 0.88 $ 18.70 $ 38,900


About May 2021 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 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.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(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 OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022