Waiters and Waitresses
SOC 35-3031Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.
Five-year wage trends
Median wage levels across states
Focus level
Level III median wage up 17.7% since 2020-21.
2026 weighted lottery impact
Thresholds for Level III & IV
2026 Weighted Lottery Impact
Level III threshold: $41,018
Level IV threshold: $44,190
Most common level in filings: Level II
Latest Level III median
2025-26
$41,018
Level I$34,674
Level II$37,846
Level III$41,018
Level IV$44,190
Top metros by Level III wages
Latest year median for this occupation
| Rank | Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI, HI | $30,285 | $54,288 | $78,270 | $102,274 |
| 2 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT, VT | $39,312 | $53,331 | $67,330 | $81,349 |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, WA | $38,459 | $48,277 | $58,074 | $67,891 |
| 4 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY, NY | $32,469 | $43,618 | $54,766 | $65,915 |
| 5 | Urban Honolulu, HI, HI | $29,120 | $41,496 | $53,872 | $66,248 |
| 6 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA, WA | $39,000 | $46,384 | $53,768 | $61,152 |
| 7 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA, WA | $38,272 | $46,010 | $53,726 | $61,464 |
| 8 | Portland-South Portland, ME, ME | $31,408 | $42,494 | $53,581 | $64,667 |
| 9 | Kennewick-Richland, WA, WA | $37,773 | $45,656 | $53,518 | $61,402 |
| 10 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, NJ | $33,114 | $43,181 | $53,269 | $63,336 |
Related occupations
Explore adjacent roles in this SOC group
No related occupations available.