Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in Baton Rouge, LA
Food Servers, Nonrestaurants in Baton Rouge, LA make a median of $26,520 a year, or about $12.75 an hour. The range runs from $18K at the entry level to $33K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.78), which stretches that salary to about $29,213 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,204/month — about 64.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $27K get you in Baton Rouge?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baton Rouge’s Regional Price Parity (90.78). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About food servers, nonrestaurants
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Baton Rouge, LA
Entry-level food servers, nonrestaurants (10th percentile) start around $18K. Mid-career wages sit at $27K. Top earners bring in $33K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $38K | +10% | 14,690 |
| Washington | $38K | +10% | 7,300 |
| California | $38K | +9% | 29,570 |
| District of Columbia | $38K | +9% | 1,230 |
| Hawaii | $37K | +9% | 750 |
| Massachusetts | $37K | +6% | 6,120 |
| New Hampshire | $36K | +5% | 2,230 |
| Vermont | $36K | +5% | 710 |
| Oregon | $36K | +5% | 3,860 |
| Connecticut | $36K | +4% | 4,510 |
| North Dakota | $36K | +4% | 1,710 |
| New Jersey | $35K | +2% | 10,760 |
| Minnesota | $35K | +2% | 10,150 |
| Maine | $35K | +2% | 660 |
| Arizona | $35K | +2% | 3,840 |
| Maryland | $35K | +2% | 6,680 |
| Wisconsin | $34K | +0% | 5,200 |
| Illinois | $34K | -0% | 15,340 |
| Virginia | $34K | -2% | 7,850 |
| Nevada | $34K | -2% | 1,800 |
| Rhode Island | $34K | -2% | 730 |
| Florida | $32K | -7% | 13,590 |
| Wyoming | $32K | -7% | 200 |
| Georgia | $32K | -7% | 5,750 |
| Michigan | $32K | -8% | 8,310 |
| Delaware | $32K | -8% | 840 |
| Indiana | $32K | -8% | 4,200 |
| Montana | $32K | -8% | 880 |
| Alaska | $31K | -9% | 360 |
| Idaho | $31K | -9% | 590 |
| New Mexico | $31K | -10% | 600 |
| Missouri | $31K | -10% | 4,760 |
| Kentucky | $31K | -10% | 2,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $31K | -10% | 17,650 |
| Nebraska | $31K | -10% | 3,980 |
| South Dakota | $31K | -10% | 100 |
| North Carolina | $31K | -11% | 6,130 |
| South Carolina | $30K | -13% | 3,190 |
| Texas | $30K | -14% | 16,380 |
| West Virginia | $29K | -14% | 610 |
| Ohio | $29K | -15% | 11,480 |
| Iowa | $29K | -15% | 5,160 |
| Tennessee | $29K | -16% | 4,940 |
| Utah | $28K | -18% | 2,310 |
| Alabama | $28K | -19% | 3,260 |
| Oklahoma | $27K | -21% | 1,580 |
| Arkansas | $27K | -23% | 3,000 |
| Kansas | $26K | -24% | 1,190 |
| Louisiana | $26K | -26% | 2,850 |
| Mississippi | $25K | -29% | 1,940 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track food servers, nonrestaurant salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Baton Rouge numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do food servers, nonrestaurants make in Baton Rouge, LA?
The median is $26,520 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $18,100, and experienced food servers, nonrestaurants can clear $32,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $27K enough to live in Baton Rouge?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,885/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,204/month, which eats 63.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a food servers, nonrestaurant salary go in Baton Rouge?
Baton Rouge has a Regional Price Parity of 90.78 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median food servers, nonrestaurant salary is worth about $29,213 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do food servers, nonrestaurants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.