Waiters and Waitresses
SOC code 35-3031 · O*NET-SOC 35-3031.00 · Little to some preparation needed · Food service and hospitality
Bright Outlook — O*NET expects numerous job openings for this occupation
Waiting tables is one of the most flexible jobs in the economy — shifts can fit around study or another job, and no formal training is required. Base pay is modest because tips carry much of the income, so the venue matters as much as the role. Experienced servers in busy restaurants routinely out-earn the median by a wide margin.
Waiters and Waitresses pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$35,230
a year
Hourly
$16.94
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$40,060
$19.26 per hour
Middle 50%
$27,750 – $47,110
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$18,100 – $64,720
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
2,270,910
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $18,100
- $8.70/hr
- 25th percentile
- $27,750
- $13.34/hr
- Median percentile
- $35,230
- $16.94/hr
- 75th percentile
- $47,110
- $22.65/hr
- 90th percentile
- $64,720
- $31.12/hr
Job outlook · federal projection 2024–34
-1%
Little or no change expected
2,329,700
jobs in 2024
2,313,500
projected for 2034
About 16,200 fewer jobs
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections, 2024–34. Projections describe the broader occupation group and are estimates, not guarantees.
What do waiters and waitresses do?
Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Collect payments from customers.
- Check patrons' identification to ensure that they meet minimum age requirements for consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.
- Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals, and take action to correct any problems.
- Take orders from patrons for food or beverages.
- Prepare checks that itemize and total meal costs and sales taxes.
- Remove dishes and glasses from tables or counters, and take them to kitchen for cleaning.
- Clean tables or counters after patrons have finished dining.
How to qualify for this work
Most people in this role hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged) — 58% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 2 — Little to some preparation needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)58%
- Less than a High School Diploma32%
- Post-Secondary Certificate8%
- Some College Courses1%
Common questions
How much does a waiters and waitresses earn?
The national median is $35,230 a year. The full range runs from $18,100 at the 10th percentile to $64,720 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a waiters and waitresses without a degree?
Yes — this occupation sits in preparation zone 2, meaning the typical entry route is usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. A four-year degree is not the standard requirement, though licensing or certification may still apply.
Is waiters and waitresses in demand?
Federal projections expect employment to shrink by about 1% between 2024 and 2034 — little or no change expected. Openings also come from people retiring or changing jobs, which the growth figure does not count.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Active Listening3.5/5
- Speaking3.5/5
- Monitoring3.0/5
- Critical Thinking2.9/5
- Reading Comprehension2.8/5
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service3.9/5
- English Language3.6/5
- Sales and Marketing3.3/5
- Food Production2.6/5
- Mathematics2.6/5
- Administration and Management2.5/5
Transferable strengths: Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Persuasion, Judgment and Decision Making.