Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Bozeman, MT, waiters and waitresses earn $26,380 at the median, or about $12.68 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.51), that's roughly $25,734 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,154/month, about 115.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $26K get you in Bozeman?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bozeman’s Regional Price Parity (102.51). 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 waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in Bozeman
Pay for waiters and waitresses in Bozeman runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,154/month, which is 114% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.51) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for waiters and waitressess.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for waiters and waitresses in metros near Bozeman, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Billings | $23K | $25K |
| Missoula | $23K | $24K |
| Helena | $23K | $24K |
| Great Falls | $22K | $23K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bozeman, MT
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $26K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Waiters and Waitresses salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $62K | +77% | 14,090 |
| Vermont | $59K | +68% | 4,040 |
| Washington | $56K | +59% | 45,400 |
| Oregon | $48K | +37% | 23,040 |
| District of Columbia | $48K | +36% | 11,530 |
| New York | $47K | +33% | 142,940 |
| New Jersey | $45K | +28% | 55,800 |
| Colorado | $45K | +27% | 40,680 |
| Virginia | $45K | +27% | 59,370 |
| Arizona | $44K | +25% | 55,950 |
| Maine | $43K | +23% | 9,090 |
| Massachusetts | $38K | +9% | 54,670 |
| New Hampshire | $38K | +9% | 10,030 |
| Connecticut | $38K | +7% | 22,370 |
| Michigan | $38K | +7% | 65,090 |
| New Mexico | $37K | +5% | 12,740 |
| Delaware | $37K | +5% | 7,580 |
| Maryland | $37K | +4% | 38,120 |
| Ohio | $37K | +4% | 77,250 |
| Florida | $36K | +3% | 207,180 |
| Kansas | $36K | +3% | 19,480 |
| California | $36K | +2% | 229,970 |
| Rhode Island | $35K | +1% | 10,160 |
| West Virginia | $35K | +0% | 8,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $35K | -2% | 82,300 |
| Nebraska | $34K | -4% | 13,310 |
| North Carolina | $32K | -9% | 71,940 |
| Illinois | $31K | -11% | 72,900 |
| Utah | $31K | -12% | 17,790 |
| North Dakota | $31K | -12% | 5,250 |
| Idaho | $30K | -15% | 10,950 |
| Wisconsin | $30K | -16% | 36,220 |
| Kentucky | $30K | -16% | 27,150 |
| Missouri | $29K | -17% | 41,640 |
| South Dakota | $29K | -18% | 7,350 |
| Indiana | $28K | -19% | 43,620 |
| Tennessee | $28K | -21% | 52,120 |
| Alabama | $27K | -24% | 28,760 |
| Nevada | $26K | -25% | 42,520 |
| Alaska | $26K | -25% | 3,830 |
| Minnesota | $25K | -28% | 37,630 |
| Arkansas | $25K | -30% | 17,880 |
| Wyoming | $24K | -32% | 3,620 |
| Montana | $23K | -34% | 7,200 |
| Texas | $23K | -34% | 199,610 |
| Mississippi | $21K | -39% | 15,190 |
| Iowa | $21K | -40% | 22,410 |
| Georgia | $19K | -47% | 76,470 |
| South Carolina | $18K | -48% | 47,200 |
| Oklahoma | $18K | -49% | 27,000 |
| Louisiana | $15K | -57% | 33,870 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bozeman?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $26K, rent takes 114% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,154/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for waiters and waitresses in Bozeman?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,375/month. At HUD’s $2,154/month FMR, rent would take 157% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is waiters and waitress a high-paying job in Bozeman?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $26K here vs. $35K nationally.
How does Bozeman compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Bozeman pays $26K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $26K — below the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Bozeman, MT?
The median is $26,380 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,910, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $51,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $26K enough to live in Bozeman?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,889/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,154/month, which eats 114% 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 waiters and waitresses salary go in Bozeman?
Bozeman has a Regional Price Parity of 102.51 (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 waiters and waitresses salary is worth about $25,734 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do waiters and waitresses 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.