Pay distribution $35,780 10th $36,880 25th $43,310 75th $74,900 90th
Half of Waiters and Waitresses in the San Francisco metro area earn more than $38,860 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $36,880 and $43,310.
Wage percentiles (BLS OEWS) Wage 10th 25th Median 75th 90th Annual $35,780 $36,880 $38,860 $43,310 $74,900 Hourly $17.20 $17.73 $18.69 $20.82 $36.01
A percentile is a cut point: 25% of workers in this occupation and area earn less than the 25th-percentile wage. The median is the 50th percentile — half earn less, half earn more.
How this area compares San Francisco metro areathis metro area
$38,860 median for San Francisco metro area; middle half earns $36,880 to $43,310
$36,080 median for California; middle half earns $34,900 to $39,870
$35,230 median for United States; middle half earns $27,750 to $47,110
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
The median here is +8% vs California overall and +10% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Where this metro sits nationally $15,080 $37,570 $60,060 $82,550 Alexandria, LA — $15,080 Baton Rouge, LA — $15,080 Hammond, LA — $15,080 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA — $15,080 Lafayette, LA — $15,080 Lake Charles, LA — $15,080 Monroe, LA — $15,080 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA — $15,080 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA — $15,080 New Orleans-Metairie, LA — $16,640 Enid, OK — $16,650 Lawton, OK — $17,150 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC — $17,350 Sumter, SC — $17,440 Florence, SC — $17,460 Hinesville, GA — $17,640 Columbia, SC — $17,810 Macon-Bibb County, GA — $17,830 Dalton, GA — $17,930 Gainesville, GA — $17,980 Oklahoma City, OK — $18,200 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA — $18,250 Albany, GA — $18,330 Tulsa, OK — $18,350 Spartanburg, SC — $18,370 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC — $18,390 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA — $18,460 Valdosta, GA — $18,510 Warner Robins, GA — $19,070 Charleston-North Charleston, SC — $19,340 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC — $19,830 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC — $19,950 Dubuque, IA — $20,060 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA — $20,410 Jackson, TN — $20,490 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX — $20,650 Columbus, GA-AL — $20,800 Savannah, GA — $20,830 Rome, GA — $20,980 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX — $21,010 Athens-Clarke County, GA — $21,090 San Angelo, TX — $21,230 Jackson, MS — $21,440 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA — $21,490 Cedar Rapids, IA — $21,670 Clarksville, TN-KY — $21,790 Hattiesburg, MS — $21,830 Aguadilla, PR — $21,840 Guayama, PR — $21,840 Mayaguez, PR — $21,840 El Paso, TX — $21,870 Laredo, TX — $22,020 Iowa City, IA — $22,030 Johnson City, TN — $22,070 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX — $22,080 Arecibo, PR — $22,140 Longview, TX — $22,240 Ponce, PR — $22,260 Great Falls, MT — $22,270 Victoria, TX — $22,330 Tyler, TX — $22,370 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX — $22,400 Abilene, TX — $22,520 Lubbock, TX — $22,560 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS — $22,600 Odessa, TX — $22,600 Amarillo, TX — $22,710 Ames, IA — $22,710 College Station-Bryan, TX — $22,800 Corpus Christi, TX — $22,820 Killeen-Temple, TX — $22,910 Billings, MT — $22,940 Wichita Falls, TX — $22,980 Waco, TX — $23,010 Helena, MT — $23,020 Duluth, MN-WI — $23,150 Missoula, MT — $23,210 Cleveland, TN — $23,300 Mankato, MN — $23,330 Texarkana, TX-AR — $23,330 St. Cloud, MN — $23,520 Hot Springs, AR — $23,550 Fort Smith, AR-OK — $23,680 Midland, TX — $23,700 Muncie, IN — $23,720 Gadsden, AL — $24,030 Rochester, MN — $24,060 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX — $24,160 Chattanooga, TN-GA — $24,240 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR — $24,250 Dothan, AL — $24,520 Memphis, TN-MS-AR — $24,550 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR — $24,610 Anniston-Oxford, AL — $24,640 Jonesboro, AR — $24,680 Reno, NV — $25,700 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI — $25,920 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL — $25,990 Anchorage, AK — $26,080 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR — $26,210 Sherman-Denison, TX — $26,290 Columbus, IN — $26,340 Montgomery, AL — $26,360 Bozeman, MT — $26,380 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD — $26,430 Auburn-Opelika, AL — $26,470 Terre Haute, IN — $26,520 Fairbanks-College, AK — $26,530 Carson City, NV — $26,670 Cheyenne, WY — $26,790 Mobile, AL — $26,860 Casper, WY — $26,870 Rocky Mount, NC — $26,900 Tuscaloosa, AL — $26,930 Decatur, AL — $27,010 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL — $27,080 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV — $27,110 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX — $27,260 Morristown, TN — $27,370 Altoona, PA — $27,630 Birmingham, AL — $27,670 Grand Forks, ND-MN — $27,820 Huntsville, AL — $27,990 Elkhart-Goshen, IN — $28,060 Knoxville, TN — $28,100 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX — $28,110 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA — $28,210 Michigan City-La Porte, IN — $28,260 Johnstown, PA — $28,280 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN — $28,380 Kokomo, IN — $28,420 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN — $28,420 Goldsboro, NC — $28,530 Bloomington, IN — $28,540 Evansville, IN — $28,550 Erie, PA — $28,590 Joplin, MO-KS — $28,600 Fort Wayne, IN — $28,650 Greenville, NC — $28,680 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL — $28,710 Twin Falls, ID — $28,710 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI — $28,740 Bowling Green, KY — $28,810 Jacksonville, NC — $28,870 Fond du Lac, WI — $28,980 Janesville-Beloit, WI — $28,990 Rapid City, SD — $29,020 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN — $29,050 Wausau, WI — $29,060 Columbia, MO — $29,250 Paducah, KY-IL — $29,280 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC — $29,310 Williamsport, PA — $29,320 Burlington, NC — $29,330 Springfield, MO — $29,350 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN — $29,390 Kenosha, WI — $29,480 Fayetteville, NC — $29,520 Winston-Salem, NC — $29,550 Green Bay, WI — $29,610 Eau Claire, WI — $29,720 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA — $29,770 Owensboro, KY — $29,790 Grand Island, NE — $29,840 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI — $29,840 Sioux Falls, SD-MN — $29,920 Sheboygan, WI — $29,980 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI — $30,020 Chambersburg, PA — $30,030 Greensboro-High Point, NC — $30,060 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN — $30,180 Pocatello, ID — $30,200 St. George, UT — $30,260 Elizabethtown, KY — $30,270 Jefferson City, MO — $30,280 Lebanon, PA — $30,300 Fargo, ND-MN — $30,330 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI — $30,330 Logan, UT-ID — $30,350 Appleton, WI — $30,370 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT — $30,490 St. Joseph, MO-KS — $30,490 Wilmington, NC — $30,610 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH — $30,690 Idaho Falls, ID — $30,740 Wheeling, WV-OH — $30,740 Reading, PA — $30,760 Madison, WI — $30,910 Minot, ND — $30,930 Bloomington, IL — $31,200 Champaign-Urbana, IL — $31,200 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN — $31,200 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL — $31,200 Decatur, IL — $31,200 Kankakee, IL — $31,200 Peoria, IL — $31,200 Rockford, IL — $31,200 St. Louis, MO-IL — $31,200 Springfield, IL — $31,200 Coeur d'Alene, ID — $31,300 Gettysburg, PA — $31,390 Lancaster, PA — $32,190 Bismarck, ND — $32,310 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT — $32,320 Manhattan, KS — $33,140 Beckley, WV — $33,650 York-Hanover, PA — $33,750 Youngstown-Warren, OH — $33,910 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ — $34,020 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC — $34,080 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA — $34,260 Omaha, NE-IA — $34,290 Bakersfield-Delano, CA — $34,320 Chico, CA — $34,320 El Centro, CA — $34,320 Fresno, CA — $34,320 Merced, CA — $34,320 Redding, CA — $34,320 Visalia, CA — $34,320 Yuba City, CA — $34,320 Asheville, NC — $34,450 Stockton-Lodi, CA — $34,460 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV — $34,470 Ogden, UT — $34,570 Sandusky, OH — $34,610 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ — $34,630 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA — $34,800 Tallahassee, FL — $34,850 Raleigh-Cary, NC — $34,860 Ocala, FL — $34,890 Lexington-Fayette, KY — $34,910 Modesto, CA — $34,910 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA — $34,910 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA — $34,950 Sebring, FL — $34,960 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL — $34,990 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA — $35,070 Salisbury, MD — $35,080 Topeka, KS — $35,090 Hanford-Corcoran, CA — $35,160 Mansfield, OH — $35,170 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC — $35,230 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA — $35,260 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL — $35,270 State College, PA — $35,280 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV — $35,290 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL — $35,340 Gainesville, FL — $35,400 Homosassa Springs, FL — $35,410 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL — $35,410 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL — $35,440 Pittsburgh, PA — $35,470 Morgantown, WV — $35,480 Salinas, CA — $35,540 Lexington Park, MD — $35,550 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA — $35,750 Boise City, ID — $35,830 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH — $35,840 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA — $35,850 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA — $35,850 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA — $35,930 Pittsfield, MA — $35,950 Dover, DE — $36,030 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL — $36,060 Springfield, OH — $36,060 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL — $36,070 Kansas City, MO-KS — $36,080 Lincoln, NE — $36,080 Yuma, AZ — $36,120 Toledo, OH — $36,140 Akron, OH — $36,150 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD — $36,170 Springfield, MA — $36,170 Canton-Massillon, OH — $36,210 Lewiston, ID-WA — $36,240 Port St. Lucie, FL — $36,250 Cleveland, OH — $36,260 Wildwood-The Villages, FL — $36,340 Punta Gorda, FL — $36,360 Battle Creek, MI — $36,370 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ — $36,370 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC — $36,430 Tucson, AZ — $36,490 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN — $36,530 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD — $36,570 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH — $36,600 Vallejo, CA — $36,610 Jacksonville, FL — $36,630 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA — $36,650 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL — $36,660 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL — $36,660 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL — $36,670 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ — $36,670 Lima, OH — $36,720 Lynchburg, VA — $36,780 Vineland, NJ — $36,800 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA — $36,830 Worcester, MA — $36,840 Waterbury-Shelton, CT — $36,890 Charleston, WV — $36,900 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL — $37,070 Flagstaff, AZ — $37,080 Napa, CA — $37,130 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT — $37,200 Farmington, NM — $37,210 Lawrence, KS — $37,230 Wichita, KS — $37,300 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL — $37,370 Roanoke, VA — $37,380 Columbus, OH — $37,490 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI — $37,490 Naples-Marco Island, FL — $37,550 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA — $37,670 Winchester, VA-WV — $37,680 Midland, MI — $37,750 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI — $37,760 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT — $37,880 New Haven, CT — $37,900 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA — $37,910 Albuquerque, NM — $38,050 Trenton-Princeton, NJ — $38,070 Niles, MI — $38,130 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ — $38,160 Lansing-East Lansing, MI — $38,210 Barnstable Town, MA — $38,380 Manchester-Nashua, NH — $38,430 Richmond, VA — $38,470 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY — $38,590 Las Cruces, NM — $38,670 Monroe, MI — $38,780 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT — $38,820 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA — $38,860 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC — $39,020 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH — $39,270 Saginaw, MI — $39,430 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO — $39,650 Jackson, MI — $39,920 Ann Arbor, MI — $40,230 Bay City, MI — $40,500 Traverse City, MI — $41,380 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA — $41,920 Eugene-Springfield, OR — $42,930 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI — $42,930 Lewiston-Auburn, ME — $43,130 Grand Junction, CO — $43,730 Glens Falls, NY — $43,900 Charlottesville, VA — $44,030 Flint, MI — $44,030 Portland-South Portland, ME — $44,070 Harrisonburg, VA — $44,760 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI — $44,920 Rochester, NY — $45,310 Pueblo, CO — $45,500 Bangor, ME — $45,610 Utica-Rome, NY — $45,950 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV — $46,040 Ithaca, NY — $46,090 Elmira, NY — $46,160 Colorado Springs, CO — $46,230 Kingston, NY — $46,440 Greeley, CO — $46,480 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY — $46,580 Binghamton, NY — $46,600 Corvallis, OR — $46,600 Santa Fe, NM — $46,640 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY — $46,950 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO — $47,360 Albany, OR — $47,440 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ — $47,530 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ — $47,610 Syracuse, NY — $47,640 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA — $48,560 Salem, OR — $48,720 Grants Pass, OR — $48,950 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY — $48,980 Yakima, WA — $49,060 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA — $49,820 Boulder, CO — $49,870 Medford, OR — $50,440 Bend, OR — $50,480 Kennewick-Richland, WA — $51,460 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA — $53,000 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA — $53,060 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA — $54,780 Longview-Kelso, WA — $54,870 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA — $55,270 Bellingham, WA — $56,700 Walla Walla, WA — $56,730 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA — $57,280 Urban Honolulu, HI — $60,250 Burlington-South Burlington, VT — $61,620 Kahului-Wailuku, HI — $82,550 San Francisco metro area Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
The San Francisco metro area has the 61st-highest published median for this occupation among the 392 metro areas where BLS publishes it. Higher medians often track higher living costs — this is a pay comparison, not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
Other metro areas in California Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for waiters and waitresses, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
San Francisco metro areathis page
$38,860 median for San Francisco metro area; middle half earns $36,880 to $43,310
$41,920 median for San Jose metro area; middle half earns $39,300 to $44,560
$37,130 median for Napa metro area; middle half earns $36,010 to $39,560
$36,830 median for Santa Rosa metro area; middle half earns $36,200 to $39,820
$36,610 median for Vallejo metro area; middle half earns $35,780 to $39,480
$35,930 median for Santa Cruz metro area; middle half earns $35,280 to $38,910
$35,850 median for Los Angeles metro area; middle half earns $35,010 to $37,230
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
About this estimate These figures are survey estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — modeled from employer reports collected over three years and benchmarked to May 2025. They describe what employers in this area currently pay across all industries, not what any individual worker will be offered.
Employment counts wage-and-salary jobs in the occupation (self-employed workers are excluded). Estimates carry sampling error; percentile wages are rounded by BLS. Some values are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality or quality — suppressed values appear here as “not published”, never as zero. Read the full methodology .