Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Nevada, waiters and waitresses earn $26,410 at the median, or about $12.7 an hour. The range runs from $25K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.79), that's roughly $26,466 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,501/month, about 76.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Nevada. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $26K get you in Nevada?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in Nevada
Pay for waiters and waitresses in Nevada runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,501/month, which is 77.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.79) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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, Nevada
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $25K. Mid-career wages sit at $26K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in Nevada
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas | $27K | +3% | 36,160 |
| Carson City | $27K | +1% | 390 |
| Reno | $26K | -3% | 4,220 |
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Nevada numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Nevada?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $26K, rent takes 77.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,501/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 Nevada?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $25K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,498/month. At HUD’s $1,501/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 Nevada?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $26K here vs. $35K nationally.
How does Nevada compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Nevada pays $26K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $26K — below the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Nevada?
The median is $26,410 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $24,960, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $50,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $26K enough to live in Nevada?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,937/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,501/month, which eats 77.5% 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 Nevada?
Nevada has a Regional Price Parity of 99.79 (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 $26,466 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.