When considering a career as a waiter, it is imperative to be informed about the salary for waiters. A waiter works in a variety of establishments, including chain restaurants, hotel dining areas and independent restaurants. Duties and requirements will vary by work environment but the amount of compensation for waiters remains constant.
If you’re looking to make a living as a waiter, there are a few things you need to know.
First, the salary for waiters is much lower than most people think. The average annual salary is $27,000, with the top 10% making over $40,000 per year. If you have experience and a degree in hospitality management, or have worked your way up through the ranks of different restaurants and hotels, your salary can be much higher than this.
Second, if you work at an upscale restaurant or hotel chain with high-end clientele, then your tips will be better—but so will the competition for these jobs! That’s why it’s important to build up your resume by working at other places first before applying for these positions; once you’ve established yourself as someone who can work well under pressure and perform well under stress (which is what these jobs require), then you’ll find that there will be no shortage of opportunities open to you.
Thirdly: be prepared to work hard! As mentioned above, waiters work long hours without breaks or days off (unless they’re unionized). They must also always stay alert while on duty because they never know when their next customer
Salary for a waiter
A person working as a Waiter / Waitress in United States typically earns around 31,500 USD per year. Salaries range from 16,400 USD (lowest) to 48,300 USD (highest).
This is the average yearly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Waiter / Waitress salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Waiter / Waitress Salary Distribution in United States
The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range
- Salary RangeWaiter / Waitress salaries in United States range from 16,400 USD per year (minimum salary) to 48,300 USD per year (maximum salary).
- Median SalaryThe median salary is 30,300 USD per year, which means that half (50%) of people working as Waiter / Waitress(s) are earning less than 30,300 USD while the other half are earning more than 30,300 USD. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
- PercentilesClosely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of Waiter / Waitress(s) are earning less than 21,000 USD while 75% of them are earning more than 21,000 USD. Also from the diagram, 75% of Waiter / Waitress(s) are earning less than 37,700 USD while 25% are earning more than 37,700 USD.
Waiter / Waitress Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does experience and age affect your pay?
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher your wage. We broke down Waiter / Waitress salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
A Waiter / Waitress with less than two years of experience makes approximately 18,600 USD per year.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 25,000 USD per year, 34% more than someone with less than two year’s experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 32,500 USD per year, 30% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Waiter / Waitress(s) whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 39,300 USD per year, 21% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 43,000 USD per year, 9% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 45,200 USD per year, 5% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Waiter / Waitress average salary change by experience in United States
| 0 – 2 Years | 18,600 USD | |
| 2 – 5 Years | +34% | 25,000 USD |
| 5 – 10 Years | +30% | 32,500 USD |
| 10 – 15 Years | +21% | 39,300 USD |
| 15 – 20 Years | +9% | 43,000 USD |
| 20+ Years | +5% | 45,200 USD |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Waiter / Waitress Salary Comparison By Education
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down Waiter / Waitress salaries by education level in order to make a comparison.
When the education level is High School, the average salary of a Waiter / Waitress is 22,100 USD per year.
While someone with a Certificate or Diploma gets a salary of 31,700 USD per year, 43% more than someone having a High School degree.
A Bachelor’s Degree gets its holder an average salary of 43,800 USD per year, 38% more than someone with a Certificate or Diploma.
Waiter / Waitress average salary difference by education level in United States
| High School | 22,100 USD | |
| Certificate or Diploma | +43% | 31,700 USD |
| Bachelor’s Degree | +38% | 43,800 USD |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
