Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Pennsylvania, waiters and waitresses earn $34,690 at the median, or about $16.68 an hour. The range runs from $18K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $36,527 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 56.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $35K get you in Pennsylvania?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Waiters and waitresses pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $35K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 56.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Pennsylvania
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $18K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in Pennsylvania
16 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $37K | +5% | 41,900 |
| Pittsburgh | $35K | +2% | 16,120 |
| State College | $35K | +2% | 1,350 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $35K | -0% | 5,310 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $34K | -1% | 3,920 |
| York-Hanover | $34K | -3% | 2,340 |
| Lancaster | $32K | -7% | 3,520 |
| Gettysburg | $31K | -10% | 660 |
| Reading | $31K | -11% | 2,060 |
| Lebanon | $30K | -13% | 690 |
| Chambersburg | $30K | -13% | 750 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $30K | -14% | 3,200 |
| Williamsport | $29K | -15% | 730 |
| Erie | $29K | -18% | 1,840 |
| Johnstown | $28K | -18% | 640 |
| Altoona | $28K | -20% | 880 |
Showing 1–10 of 16 metros
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 56.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/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 Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $18K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,104/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 122% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $35K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Pennsylvania pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $34,690 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $18,400, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $61,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,404/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 56.2% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $36,527 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.