Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary
Food Servers, Nonrestaurants in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV make a median of $37,540 a year, or about $18.05 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $34,478 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 86.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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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What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Food servers, nonrestaurant pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $38K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 86.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food servers, nonrestaurants in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $36K | $34K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $35K | $35K |
| Richmond | $35K | $36K |
| Roanoke | $32K | $34K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level food servers, nonrestaurants (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $13K 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 |
| Hawaii | $38K | +7% | 880 |
| District of Columbia | $38K | +7% | 1,260 |
| 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 |
| Missouri | $32K | -10% | 7,490 |
| Indiana | $32K | -10% | 3,900 |
| 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 |
| West Virginia | $30K | -15% | 460 |
| Utah | $30K | -15% | 2,430 |
| 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 (all 50 states + DC)
Track food servers, nonrestaurant salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food servers, nonrestaurant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 86.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food servers, nonrestaurants typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,075/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 108% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is food servers, nonrestaurant a high-paying job in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $38K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for food servers, nonrestaurants?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do food servers, nonrestaurants make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $37,540 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,590, and experienced food servers, nonrestaurants can clear $47,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,586/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 86.9% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median food servers, nonrestaurant salary is worth about $34,478 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.