Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Charlottesville, VA
In Charlottesville, VA, waiters and waitresses earn $37,960 at the median — $18.25 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.15), that's roughly $38,285 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,824/month — about 70.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Charlottesville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charlottesville’s Regional Price Parity (99.15). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charlottesville, VA
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | $61K | +80% | 3,730 |
| Hawaii | $49K | +44% | 13,830 |
| Washington | $47K | +41% | 43,720 |
| New York | $46K | +38% | 140,890 |
| District of Columbia | $46K | +36% | 10,540 |
| Maine | $45K | +32% | 8,540 |
| Rhode Island | $43K | +26% | 11,010 |
| New Hampshire | $39K | +16% | 10,840 |
| New Jersey | $39K | +15% | 56,560 |
| Virginia | $37K | +10% | 61,260 |
| Arizona | $37K | +9% | 55,010 |
| Connecticut | $36K | +8% | 21,720 |
| Massachusetts | $36K | +8% | 50,160 |
| Ohio | $36K | +7% | 76,260 |
| Michigan | $36K | +6% | 64,920 |
| California | $35K | +5% | 243,300 |
| Maryland | $35K | +4% | 37,680 |
| Nebraska | $34K | +1% | 12,930 |
| Oregon | $34K | +1% | 22,920 |
| Delaware | $34K | -0% | 8,040 |
| Kansas | $32K | -7% | 20,290 |
| Idaho | $31K | -10% | 11,590 |
| New Mexico | $30K | -10% | 13,370 |
| West Virginia | $30K | -10% | 9,190 |
| Pennsylvania | $30K | -10% | 82,920 |
| Utah | $30K | -12% | 18,030 |
| Florida | $30K | -12% | 208,920 |
| North Dakota | $29K | -13% | 5,290 |
| Illinois | $29K | -14% | 84,550 |
| South Dakota | $29K | -14% | 7,080 |
| Wisconsin | $29K | -14% | 39,510 |
| North Carolina | $28K | -16% | 74,110 |
| Tennessee | $28K | -16% | 53,400 |
| Texas | $28K | -17% | 210,170 |
| Indiana | $27K | -19% | 43,880 |
| Alaska | $27K | -19% | 3,980 |
| Missouri | $27K | -20% | 43,360 |
| Arkansas | $26K | -22% | 17,820 |
| Iowa | $26K | -23% | 21,440 |
| Wyoming | $25K | -25% | 3,710 |
| Nevada | $25K | -26% | 39,910 |
| Minnesota | $24K | -28% | 38,540 |
| Montana | $23K | -33% | 7,630 |
| Kentucky | $22K | -34% | 27,800 |
| Alabama | $22K | -35% | 28,540 |
| Mississippi | $20K | -40% | 16,160 |
| Georgia | $20K | -41% | 71,870 |
| Oklahoma | $20K | -41% | 26,460 |
| South Carolina | $19K | -45% | 43,730 |
| Louisiana | $17K | -50% | 33,170 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Charlottesville, VA?
The median is $37,960 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,460, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $73,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Charlottesville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,573/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,824/month, which eats 70.9% 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 waiters and waitresses salary go in Charlottesville?
Charlottesville has a Regional Price Parity of 99.15 (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 waiters and waitresses salary is worth about $38,285 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.