Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Elmira, NY, waiters and waitresses earn $46,160 at the median, or about $22.19 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.4), which stretches that salary to about $48,898 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,283/month, about 40.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $46K get you in Elmira?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Elmira’s Regional Price Parity (94.4). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Elmira
Elmira sits well above the national pay line for waiters and waitresses, local pay runs about 31% higher than the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,283/month, which is 41.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.4 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for waiters and waitresses in metros near Elmira, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $48K | $42K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $47K | $49K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $49K | $49K |
| Rochester | $45K | $47K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Elmira, NY
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $42K 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 Elmira numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Elmira?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 41.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,283/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Elmira?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,934/month. At HUD’s $1,283/month FMR, rent would take 66% 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 Elmira?
Local pay is 31% above the national median — $46K here vs. $35K nationally.
How does Elmira compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Elmira pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.4), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Elmira, NY?
The median is $46,160 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,240, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $74,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Elmira?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,100/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,283/month, which eats 41.4% 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 Elmira?
Elmira has a Regional Price Parity of 94.4 (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 $48,898 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.