Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Michigan, waiters and waitresses earn $37,760 at the median, or about $18.16 an hour. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $40,217 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 49.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Michigan. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $38K get you in Michigan?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in Michigan
Waiters and waitresses pay in Michigan tracks closely to the national median, $38K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,272/month, which is 49.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Michigan
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in Michigan
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muskegon-Norton Shores | $45K | +19% | 930 |
| Flint | $44K | +17% | 2,120 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $43K | +14% | 8,080 |
| Traverse City | $41K | +10% | 1,610 |
| Bay City | $41K | +7% | 570 |
| Ann Arbor | $40K | +7% | 2,710 |
| Jackson | $40K | +6% | 810 |
| Saginaw | $39K | +4% | 1,470 |
| Monroe | $39K | +3% | 660 |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $38K | +1% | 2,710 |
| Niles | $38K | +1% | 1,390 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $38K | +0% | 1,740 |
| Midland | $38K | -0% | 430 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $37K | -1% | 29,210 |
| Battle Creek | $36K | -4% | 750 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Michigan numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Michigan?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 49.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Michigan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,558/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 82% 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 Michigan?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $38K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Michigan pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Michigan?
The median is $37,760 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $25,960, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $64,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,564/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 49.6% 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 Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 $40,217 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.