Waiters/Servers in 2025: Statistics, Salaries, Job Growth & Trends

April 3, 2025

Key Findings:

There are around 2,237,850 waitstaff that work in the United States.
67% of Waiters/Servers work part-time, while 33% are employed full-time.
Around 66% of waitstaff in the U.S. are female, while 34% are male.
Interest in this occupation is nearly even between genders, with 51% of women and 49% of men considering the role.
The median age of those working as waitstaff is 25.9.
A majority of waitstaff are under 35 — with 20.16% aged 16 to 19, 28.95% aged 20 to 24 and 22.96% aged 25 to 34.
Waiters/Servers earn an average hourly wage of $17.56 (before tips).
Tips make up about 58.5% of a Waiter/Server’s earnings, on average.
Most have rated their personality fit with the job at 3.6 out of 5, indicating that many feel well aligned with the role.

We’ve compiled these Waiter/Server statistics for 2025 to highlight key aspects of the profession, including employment trends, demographics, wages and job satisfaction.

This report examines the latest data, offering a clear, numbers-driven look at the state of waitstaff roles in the U.S. restaurant industry.

Editor’s note: The terms “Server” and “Waiter/Waitress” are often used interchangeably to describe individuals who take and serve orders in dining establishments. For the purpose of this report, this interchangeable usage will be maintained.

Waiter/Server Employment and Job Outlook

Understanding the scale of the waitstaff profession starts with measuring its workforce.

Total employment: There are about 2,237,850 Servers/Waiters employed in the U.S. (Source)
Number of jobs: Recent data shows that there are 2,277,900 waitstaff jobs currently available. (Source)
Job outlook: With an average of 471,200 openings per year from 2023 to 2033, job opportunities in this profession remain steady.
Growth rate: There is only a 1% projected increase in the demand for Waiters/Servers, which is fairly slower than the average for all occupations.
Work environment: The majority (81%) work in restaurants and other eating establishments. In contrast, only a small portion are employed in traveler accommodations (5%) and in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector (4%). (Source)

Nonetheless, these figures point toward a good number of opportunities for both current waitstaff and those planning to start working as one.

Waiter/Server Employment by Location

Opportunities for Waiters vary widely throughout the country, with some states and metropolitan areas having significantly higher employment levels.

That said, here are the top five states when it comes to employment levels for waitstaff.

State	Amount of Waiters or Servers employed
California	225,040
Texas	202,590
Florida	198,440
New York	130,190
Illinois	86,200

Meanwhile, below are five metropolitan areas with the highest employment levels.

Metropolitan area	Amount of Waiters or Servers employed
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	136,960
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	82,410
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	67,270
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	59,070
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	54,080

Demographics of Waiters/Servers in the US

Below are demographics that provide insight into the makeup of this workforce, including age, gender and educational background. Examining these trends helps highlight who is entering and staying in the profession.

Employment type: 67% of Servers work part-time in this role, while only 33% are full-time. (Source)
Gender: Approximately 66% of waitstaff in the U.S. are female, while 34% are male. (Source)
Career interest by gender: More women (51%) than men (49%) are interested in pursuing a career as a Server, though the difference is minimal.
Median age: In the U.S., the median age of Waiters and Waitresses is 25.9, which better represents the midpoint of the age distribution compared to an average. (Source)
Age distribution: Servers are predominantly young, with 20.16% aged 16–19, 28.95% aged 20–24 and 22.96% aged 25–34. Older age groups make up smaller shares, with only 2.58% aged 65 and over.
Level of educational attainment: Majority of waitstaff (35.4%) hold at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Meanwhile, 26.9% have some college but no degree and 22.9% have either a bachelor’s or associate’s degree. (Source)
Educational backgrounds: The three most common degree programs among Servers are Business (44,607 graduates), Visual & Performing Arts (23,420) and Psychology (17,688 people). (Source)
Racial and ethnic composition: The majority of waitstaff in the U.S. are white, accounting for 54.1% of the workforce. Latinos represent the second-largest group at 24.5%, followed by African Americans at 7.9%.

Salary and Overall Income

Compensation for waitstaff is heavily influenced by various factors such as geographic location and tips.

Base salary: Recent data shows that Waiters/Servers earn $36,530 per year (before tips), on average. This translates to an average base wage of $17.56 per hour (before tips).
Top percentile: The top 10% of waitstaff working in the U.S. make around $60,090 yearly or $28.89 hourly.
Regional variations: The District of Columbia is the highest-paying area for waitstaff, with an average base salary of $50,790 per year. Coming in second and third are New York ($49,796) and Washington ($46,400), respectively.
Hourly tip percentage: One study found that the median share of tips in a Server’s hourly earnings is approximately 58.5%. (Source)
Daily tip amount: How much a Waiter/Server receives in tips depends on the type of restaurant where they work. For fine dining establishments, tips range from $180 to $400 per shift, while in more casual restaurants, it’s typically between $100 and $280 per shift.
Tipping patterns: Some Servers report higher tip earnings on Sunday nights, while others find that weekdays like Tuesday or Wednesday can be more lucrative due to regular clientele or specific promotions. (Source)

Job Satisfaction and Challenges Among Waiters/Servers

While pay is important, other factors impact the overall experience of those in this occupation.

Career happiness: Servers rate their overall career happiness at 2.4 out of 5, which is significantly lower than many other professions. (Source)
Pay satisfaction: On average, waitstaff give their compensation a 2.6 out of 5 rating.
Personality fit: Most Waiters and Waitresses rated their personality fit with their work at an average of 3.6 out of 5, with most feeling well matched to their roles and few expressing dissatisfaction.

Key Trends and Numbers in the Restaurant and Food Service Industry

These trends in the restaurant and food service industry play a role in shaping employment opportunities for Servers and Waiters across the U.S.

The U.S. restaurant and food service industry is projected to reach $1.5 trillion in sales in 2025, which is a 4% increase from 2024. (Source)
There are currently over 1 million restaurant and food service outlets across the country.
Most restaurants (9 out of 10) employ fewer than 50 people. (Source)
8 out of 10 restaurant owners began their careers in entry-level roles like Server, while 9 out of 10 Restaurant Managers started from the ground up in similar positions.
The standard tip percentage for dining out typically ranges from 15% to 20% of the pre-tax bill, with many now considering 20% the benchmark for satisfactory service. (Source)
Nationally, the average tip percentage in full-service restaurants was 19.8% in 2024. (Source)
Meanwhile, recent available data shows the average total tip across all restaurant types is 18.9%. (Source)
In 2024, satisfaction with full-service dining increased by 4% to a score of 84 out of 100, and fast food satisfaction rose by 1% to 79. (Source)

These latest statistics on Waiters and Servers highlight a profession that remains integral to the restaurant and food service industry.

With consistent job openings and a relatively young workforce, the role continues to attract individuals seeking flexible schedules and customer-facing experience. However, wage variability and job satisfaction remain key factors influencing retention in the field.

As the industry evolves, staying competitive requires more than just technical skills; it also demands strong communication, efficiency and a customer-first mindset.