Waiters and Waitresses · SOC 35-3031
Waiters and Waitresses Salary in the Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area
Figures describe the Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area, a BLS-defined region outside metropolitan areas — not a single city or town.
Waiters and Waitresses in the Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area earned a median of $20,950 per year ($10.07 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $15,080 at the 10th percentile to $44,410 at the 90th. BLS estimates 2,200 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Waiters and Waitresses in the Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area earn more than $20,950 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $15,550 and $29,880.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $15,080 | $15,550 | $20,950 | $29,880 | $44,410 |
| Hourly | $7.25 | $7.47 | $10.07 | $14.36 | $21.35 |
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
- Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area$20,950 median for Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $15,550 to $29,880
- Iowastate$21,000 median for Iowa; middle half earns $15,080 to $35,370
- United Statesnational$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 about the same vs Iowa overall and −41% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Other metro areas in Iowa
Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for waiters and waitresses, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
- Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan areathis page$20,950 median for Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $15,550 to $29,880
- $31,200 median for Davenport metro area; middle half earns $18,460 to $31,650
- $26,430 median for Sioux City metro area; middle half earns $15,560 to $36,530
- $22,710 median for Ames metro area; middle half earns $15,560 to $38,580
- $22,030 median for Iowa City metro area; middle half earns $15,180 to $36,780
- $21,670 median for Cedar Rapids metro area; middle half earns $15,080 to $36,900
- $21,490 median for Waterloo metro area; middle half earns $15,080 to $34,230
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
Keep exploring
Other occupations in the same SOC group with published medians here, largest employment first:
Highest-paying metro areas for waiters and waitressess · Highest-paying occupations in Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area
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.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.