Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Nebraska, waiters and waitresses earn $33,770 at the median, or about $16.24 an hour. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.05), which stretches that salary to about $37,501 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,113/month, about 48.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Nebraska. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $34K get you in Nebraska?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in Nebraska
Waiters and waitresses pay in Nebraska tracks closely to the national median, $34K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,113/month, which is 47.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.05 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Nebraska
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in Nebraska
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln | $36K | +7% | 2,520 |
| Omaha | $34K | +2% | 7,620 |
| Grand Island | $30K | -12% | 570 |
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Nebraska numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Nebraska?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 47.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,113/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Nebraska?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,685/month. At HUD’s $1,113/month FMR, rent would take 66% 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 Nebraska?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $34K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Nebraska compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Nebraska pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.05), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Nebraska?
The median is $33,770 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,080, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $59,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Nebraska?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,354/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,113/month, which eats 47.3% 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 Nebraska?
Nebraska has a Regional Price Parity of 90.05 (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 $37,501 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.