Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area, waiters and waitresses earn $26,820 at the median, or about $12.9 an hour. The range runs from $15K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers.
So what does $27K get you in East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area?
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $15K. Mid-career wages sit at $27K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $30K 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)
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $27K, rent takes 84.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,661/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 East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $15K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $905/month.
Is waiters and waitress a high-paying job in East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $27K here vs. $35K nationally.
How does East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area pays $27K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -24%.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area?
The median is $26,820 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $15,080, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $45,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $27K enough to live in East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,966/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,661/month, which eats 84.5% 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 East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area?
East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 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 waiters and waitresses salary is worth about $26,820 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.