Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Ohio, waiters and waitresses earn $36,700 at the median, or about $17.65 an hour. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.45), which stretches that salary to about $40,131 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,188/month, about 47.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Ohio. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $37K get you in Ohio?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in Ohio
Waiters and waitresses pay in Ohio tracks closely to the national median, $37K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,188/month, which is 45.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Ohio
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in Ohio
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | $37K | +2% | 15,900 |
| Lima | $37K | +0% | 680 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $37K | -0% | 4,700 |
| Cincinnati | $37K | -0% | 17,790 |
| Cleveland | $36K | -1% | 14,120 |
| Canton-Massillon | $36K | -1% | 2,690 |
| Akron | $36K | -1% | 4,680 |
| Toledo | $36K | -2% | 4,600 |
| Springfield | $36K | -2% | 560 |
| Mansfield | $35K | -4% | 850 |
| Sandusky | $35K | -6% | 1,400 |
| Youngstown-Warren | $34K | -8% | 2,580 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ohio numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ohio?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 45.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,188/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 Ohio?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,429/month. At HUD’s $1,188/month FMR, rent would take 83% 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 Ohio?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $37K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Ohio compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Ohio pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Ohio?
The median is $36,700 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,820, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $63,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Ohio?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,602/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,188/month, which eats 45.7% 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 Ohio?
Ohio has a Regional Price Parity of 91.45 (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 $40,131 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.