Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In California, waiters and waitresses earn $36,080 at the median, or about $17.35 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $33,993 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 99.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $36K get you in California?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in California
Waiters and waitresses pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $36K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 97.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in California
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $42K | +16% | 12,600 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $39K | +8% | 29,080 |
| Napa | $37K | +3% | 1,930 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $37K | +2% | 3,670 |
| Vallejo | $37K | +1% | 1,660 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $36K | -0% | 1,640 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $36K | -1% | 24,050 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $36K | -1% | 85,210 |
| Salinas | $36K | -1% | 3,100 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $35K | -2% | 3,540 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $35K | -3% | 380 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $35K | -3% | 13,460 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $35K | -3% | 2,640 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $35K | -3% | 4,530 |
| Modesto | $35K | -3% | 2,140 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $35K | -4% | 20,810 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $34K | -4% | 2,330 |
| Yuba City | $34K | -5% | 450 |
| Chico | $34K | -5% | 990 |
| El Centro | $34K | -5% | 480 |
| Fresno | $34K | -5% | 4,340 |
| Merced | $34K | -5% | 560 |
| Redding | $34K | -5% | 680 |
| Visalia | $34K | -5% | 1,410 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $34K | -5% | 2,920 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 97.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/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 waiters and waitresses in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,059/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 120% 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 California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $36K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
California pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in California?
The median is $36,080 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,320, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $68,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,534/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 97.5% 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 California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (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 $33,993 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.