Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Indiana, waiters and waitresses earn $28,480 at the median, or about $13.69 an hour. The range runs from $18K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $31,021 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,144/month, about 55.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $28K get you in Indiana?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in Indiana
Pay for waiters and waitresses in Indiana runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,144/month, which is 57.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (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, Indiana
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $18K. Mid-career wages sit at $28K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in Indiana
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $29K | +2% | 15,830 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $29K | +1% | 1,970 |
| Fort Wayne | $29K | +1% | 3,150 |
| Evansville | $29K | +0% | 2,070 |
| Bloomington | $29K | +0% | 1,620 |
| Kokomo | $28K | -0% | 690 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $28K | -0% | 1,490 |
| Michigan City-La Porte | $28K | -1% | 680 |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $28K | -1% | 1,070 |
| Terre Haute | $27K | -7% | 1,050 |
| Columbus | $26K | -8% | 490 |
| Muncie | $24K | -17% | 730 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $28K, rent takes 57.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/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 Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $18K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,058/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 108% 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 Indiana?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $28K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Indiana pays $28K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $31K — below the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Indiana?
The median is $28,480 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $17,640, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $48,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $28K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,004/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 57.1% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $31,021 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.