Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In New Jersey, waiters and waitresses earn $44,960 at the median, or about $21.62 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $45,259 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,067/month, about 66.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Jersey. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $45K get you in New Jersey?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in New Jersey
New Jersey sits well above the national pay line for waiters and waitresses, local pay runs about 28% higher than the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,067/month, which is 66.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in New Jersey
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City-Hammonton | $38K | -15% | 6,070 |
| Trenton-Princeton | $38K | -15% | 2,160 |
| Vineland | $37K | -18% | 540 |
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Jersey numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Jersey?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 66.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 New Jersey?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,933/month. At HUD’s $2,067/month FMR, rent would take 107% 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 New Jersey?
Local pay is 28% above the national median — $45K here vs. $35K nationally.
How does New Jersey compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
New Jersey pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in New Jersey?
The median is $44,960 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,220, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $78,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in New Jersey?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,098/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 66.7% 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 New Jersey?
New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (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 $45,259 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.