Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary
Food Servers, Nonrestaurants in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO make a median of $39,850 a year, or about $19.16 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers.
So what does $40K get you in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
About food servers, nonrestaurants
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food servers, nonrestaurants in metros near Denver-Aurora-Centennial, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs | $37K | , |
| Boulder | $39K | , |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $37K | , |
| Grand Junction | $37K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Entry-level food servers, nonrestaurants (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $39K | +11% | 17,520 |
| California | $39K | +10% | 32,430 |
| Colorado | $39K | +10% | 7,750 |
| Washington | $39K | +10% | 8,050 |
| Alaska | $38K | +8% | 430 |
| District of Columbia | $38K | +7% | 1,260 |
| Hawaii | $38K | +7% | 880 |
| Maine | $38K | +7% | 540 |
| Vermont | $38K | +6% | 780 |
| North Dakota | $37K | +4% | 1,630 |
| Massachusetts | $37K | +4% | 5,830 |
| New Hampshire | $37K | +4% | 1,770 |
| Maryland | $37K | +4% | 6,600 |
| Oregon | $37K | +4% | 4,420 |
| New Jersey | $36K | +3% | 11,400 |
| Nevada | $36K | +2% | 1,820 |
| Minnesota | $36K | +2% | 11,090 |
| Connecticut | $36K | +2% | 5,050 |
| New Mexico | $36K | +1% | 670 |
| Arizona | $35K | +0% | 4,620 |
| Virginia | $35K | -1% | 7,420 |
| Illinois | $35K | -1% | 17,560 |
| Rhode Island | $35K | -1% | 1,020 |
| Wisconsin | $35K | -2% | 6,680 |
| Michigan | $34K | -3% | 7,700 |
| Idaho | $34K | -3% | 930 |
| Florida | $34K | -4% | 19,240 |
| Pennsylvania | $33K | -6% | 13,940 |
| Wyoming | $33K | -6% | 250 |
| Kentucky | $32K | -9% | 3,660 |
| Montana | $32K | -9% | 1,050 |
| South Dakota | $32K | -10% | 160 |
| Indiana | $32K | -10% | 3,900 |
| Missouri | $32K | -10% | 7,490 |
| South Carolina | $32K | -10% | 2,990 |
| Nebraska | $32K | -11% | 3,800 |
| Georgia | $32K | -11% | 4,970 |
| North Carolina | $31K | -11% | 8,820 |
| Delaware | $31K | -11% | 1,010 |
| Tennessee | $31K | -13% | 5,230 |
| Ohio | $30K | -14% | 15,320 |
| Utah | $30K | -15% | 2,430 |
| West Virginia | $30K | -15% | 460 |
| Iowa | $30K | -15% | 5,270 |
| Texas | $29K | -17% | 14,340 |
| Kansas | $29K | -18% | 1,270 |
| Alabama | $29K | -18% | 2,920 |
| Oklahoma | $28K | -19% | 1,760 |
| Arkansas | $28K | -22% | 3,540 |
| Mississippi | $27K | -23% | 1,860 |
| Louisiana | $27K | -23% | 2,380 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track food servers, nonrestaurant salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Denver-Aurora-Centennial numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
Can a food servers, nonrestaurant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 75.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,044/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for food servers, nonrestaurants in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food servers, nonrestaurants typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,915/month.
Is food servers, nonrestaurant a high-paying job in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $40K here vs. $35K nationally.
How does Denver-Aurora-Centennial compare to the national average for food servers, nonrestaurants?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +13%.
How much do food servers, nonrestaurants make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The median is $39,850 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,910, and experienced food servers, nonrestaurants can clear $51,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,692/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,044/month, which eats 75.9% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median food servers, nonrestaurant salary is worth about $39,850 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.