Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Hawaii, waiters and waitresses earn $62,390 at the median, or about $29.99 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $120K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.17), so that salary is closer to $56,631 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,240/month, about 55% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Hawaii. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $62K get you in Hawaii?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in Hawaii
Hawaii sits well above the national pay line for waiters and waitresses, local pay runs about 77% 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 $2,240/month, which is 56.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.17), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hawaii
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $120K or more, a $91K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in Hawaii
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku | $83K | +32% | 2,700 |
| Urban Honolulu | $60K | -3% | 8,550 |
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hawaii numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hawaii?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 56.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,240/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Hawaii?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,747/month. At HUD’s $2,240/month FMR, rent would take 128% 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 Hawaii?
Local pay is 77% above the national median — $62K here vs. $35K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 10% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Hawaii compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Hawaii pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +77%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Hawaii?
The median is $62,390 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,120, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $119,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Hawaii?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,996/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,240/month, which eats 56.1% 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 Hawaii?
Hawaii has a Regional Price Parity of 110.17 (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 $56,631 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.