Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Georgia, waiters and waitresses earn $18,700 at the median, or about $8.99 an hour. The range runs from $15K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.89), which stretches that salary to about $20,350 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,434/month, about 108.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Georgia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $19K get you in Georgia?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in Georgia
Pay for waiters and waitresses in Georgia runs about 47% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,434/month, which is 105.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for waiters and waitressess.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Georgia
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $15K. Mid-career wages sit at $19K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in Georgia
14 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens-Clarke County | $21K | +13% | 2,030 |
| Rome | $21K | +12% | 740 |
| Savannah | $21K | +11% | 4,940 |
| Columbus | $21K | +11% | 2,080 |
| Warner Robins | $19K | +2% | 1,350 |
| Valdosta | $19K | -1% | 1,150 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $18K | -1% | 45,880 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $18K | -2% | 3,820 |
| Albany | $18K | -2% | 900 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons | $18K | -2% | 1,510 |
| Gainesville | $18K | -4% | 1,390 |
| Dalton | $18K | -4% | 680 |
| Macon-Bibb County | $18K | -5% | 1,660 |
| Hinesville | $18K | -6% | 280 |
Showing 1–10 of 14 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Georgia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Georgia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $19K, rent takes 105.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,434/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $400/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 Georgia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $15K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $905/month. At HUD’s $1,434/month FMR, rent would take 158% 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 Georgia?
Local pay runs 47% below the national median — $19K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Georgia compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Georgia pays $19K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -47%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $20K — below the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Georgia?
The median is $18,700 a year, that works out to about $9 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $15,080, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $46,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $19K enough to live in Georgia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,360/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,434/month, which eats 105.4% 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 Georgia?
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity of 91.89 (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 $20,350 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.