How Much Does a Server Make in the United States?
The average salary for a Server in the United States is base plus tips per month or $35,457 base plus tips per year, according to the most recent data averaged from Glassdoor, Indeed and Salary.com.
Average Server Base Salary:
The average wage for a Server is base plus tips per hour.
In addition to their base salary, Servers receive a significant portion of their income from tips, which can vary based on factors such as the type of establishment, location and level of service provided.
Annual Mean Wage of Servers by State
[Calculated using Glassdoor, Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Salary.com, Talent.com and Zippia data]
This map is interactive. Hover your mouse over different parts of the map to see detailed data.
Server Salary in Major US Cities
Average mean wage
$37,520
Average mean wage
$40,041
Average mean wage
$40,380
Average mean wage
$42,625
[Calculated using Glassdoor, Indeed and Talent.com data]
High-Paying Cities for Servers
| City | Avg Salary | Avg Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | 40,380 | 19.41 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 42,625 | 20.49 |
| Miami, FL | 37,520 | 18.04 |
| NYC, NY | 40,041 | 19.25 |
Average Server Salary by State
Explore the average Server salary by state.
| State | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $22,690 |
| Alaska | $36,150 |
| Arizona | $49,080 |
| Arkansas | $29,060 |
| California | $43,200 |
| Colorado | $41,630 |
| Connecticut | $41,760 |
| Delaware | $34,780 |
| Florida | $37,050 |
| Georgia | $28,840 |
| Hawaii | $44,620 |
| Idaho | $32,030 |
| Illinois | $33,910 |
| Indiana | $29,400 |
| Iowa | $30,050 |
| Kansas | $34,520 |
| Kentucky | $29,120 |
| Louisiana | $29,160 |
| Maine | $47,570 |
| Maryland | $39,430 |
| Massachusetts | $40,830 |
| Michigan | $39,590 |
| Minnesota | $25,850 |
| Mississippi | $24,610 |
| Missouri | $36,810 |
| Montana | $23,950 |
| Nebraska | $37,330 |
| Nevada | $32,360 |
| New Hampshire | $39,070 |
| New Jersey | $46,590 |
| New Mexico | $37,590 |
| New York | $51,040 |
| North Carolina | $29,990 |
| North Dakota | $35,210 |
| Ohio | $33,930 |
| Oklahoma | $24,590 |
| Oregon | $34,250 |
| Pennsylvania | $33,890 |
| Rhode Island | $41,900 |
| South Carolina | $22,770 |
| South Dakota | $28,590 |
| Tennessee | $29,210 |
| Texas | $29,350 |
| Utah | $35,480 |
| Vermont | $60,200 |
| Virginia | $37,580 |
| Washington | $57,960 |
| West Virginia | $33,410 |
| Wisconsin | $31,230 |
| Wyoming | $30,300 |
| District of Columbia | $51,970 |
How Much Do Similar Careers to a Server Get Paid?
Servers earn less than Fine-Dining Servers but more than Food Runners and Bussers.
| Job Title | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Fine Dining Server | |
| Food Runner | |
| Busser |
Labor Laws and Taxes for Servers
As a Server, you need to be aware of the minimum wage, overtime pay, leave and tipping policies in your state.
Check out the guides below or view more labor laws:
- New York Labor Law Guide
- Illinois Labor Law Guide
- California Labor Law Guide
- Florida Labor Law Guide
To easily calculate federal, state and local taxes in your state, use our free Paycheck Calculator.
