Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Louisiana, waiters and waitresses earn $15,080 at the median, or about $7.25 an hour. The range runs from $15K at the entry level to $38K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $17,278 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 111.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $15K get you in Louisiana?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for waiters and waitresses in Louisiana runs about 57% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,191/month, which is 105.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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, Louisiana
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $15K. Mid-career wages sit at $15K. Top earners bring in $38K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in Louisiana
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $17K | +10% | 10,050 |
| Alexandria | $15K | +0% | 750 |
| Hammond | $15K | +0% | 1,050 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $15K | +0% | 1,210 |
| Lafayette | $15K | +0% | 3,410 |
| Lake Charles | $15K | +0% | 1,950 |
| Monroe | $15K | +0% | 1,370 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $15K | +0% | 2,620 |
| Baton Rouge | $15K | +0% | 6,650 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $15K | +0% | 2,520 |
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $15K, rent takes 105.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $300/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 Louisiana?
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 $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 132% 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 Louisiana?
Local pay runs 57% below the national median — $15K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Louisiana pays $15K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -57%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $17K — below the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Louisiana?
The median is $15,080 a year, that works out to about $7 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $15,080, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $38,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $15K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,133/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 105.1% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $17,278 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.