Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Minnesota, waiters and waitresses earn $25,470 at the median, or about $12.25 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $42K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $27,505 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,384/month, about 76% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Minnesota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $25K get you in Minnesota?
About waiters and waitresses
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Minnesota
Pay for waiters and waitresses in Minnesota runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,384/month, which is 75.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, Minnesota
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $25K. Top earners bring in $42K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in Minnesota
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $26K | +2% | 25,620 |
| Rochester | $24K | -6% | 1,620 |
| St. Cloud | $24K | -8% | 1,070 |
| Mankato | $23K | -8% | 770 |
| Duluth | $23K | -9% | 2,100 |
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Minnesota numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Minnesota?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $25K, rent takes 75.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,384/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $500/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 Minnesota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,389/month. At HUD’s $1,384/month FMR, rent would take 100% 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 Minnesota?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $25K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Minnesota compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Minnesota pays $25K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $28K — below the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Minnesota?
The median is $25,470 a year, that works out to about $12 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,150, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $41,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $25K enough to live in Minnesota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,824/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,384/month, which eats 75.9% 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 Minnesota?
Minnesota has a Regional Price Parity of 92.6 (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 $27,505 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.