Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Providence-Warwick, RI-MA, waiters and waitresses earn $35,750 at the median, or about $17.19 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.77), that's roughly $35,128 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,729/month, about 70% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $36K get you in Providence-Warwick?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Providence-Warwick’s Regional Price Parity (101.77). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About waiters and waitresses
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Providence-Warwick
Waiters and waitresses pay in Providence-Warwick tracks closely to the national median, $36K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,729/month, which is 69.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.77) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for waiters and waitresses in metros near Providence-Warwick, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $39K | $36K |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $37K | $36K |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury | $39K | $36K |
| Worcester | $37K | $36K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Waiters and Waitresses salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $62K | +77% | 14,090 |
| Vermont | $59K | +68% | 4,040 |
| Washington | $56K | +59% | 45,400 |
| Oregon | $48K | +37% | 23,040 |
| District of Columbia | $48K | +36% | 11,530 |
| New York | $47K | +33% | 142,940 |
| New Jersey | $45K | +28% | 55,800 |
| Colorado | $45K | +27% | 40,680 |
| Virginia | $45K | +27% | 59,370 |
| Arizona | $44K | +25% | 55,950 |
| Maine | $43K | +23% | 9,090 |
| Massachusetts | $38K | +9% | 54,670 |
| New Hampshire | $38K | +9% | 10,030 |
| Connecticut | $38K | +7% | 22,370 |
| Michigan | $38K | +7% | 65,090 |
| New Mexico | $37K | +5% | 12,740 |
| Delaware | $37K | +5% | 7,580 |
| Maryland | $37K | +4% | 38,120 |
| Ohio | $37K | +4% | 77,250 |
| Florida | $36K | +3% | 207,180 |
| Kansas | $36K | +3% | 19,480 |
| California | $36K | +2% | 229,970 |
| Rhode Island | $35K | +1% | 10,160 |
| West Virginia | $35K | +0% | 8,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $35K | -2% | 82,300 |
| Nebraska | $34K | -4% | 13,310 |
| North Carolina | $32K | -9% | 71,940 |
| Illinois | $31K | -11% | 72,900 |
| Utah | $31K | -12% | 17,790 |
| North Dakota | $31K | -12% | 5,250 |
| Idaho | $30K | -15% | 10,950 |
| Wisconsin | $30K | -16% | 36,220 |
| Kentucky | $30K | -16% | 27,150 |
| Missouri | $29K | -17% | 41,640 |
| South Dakota | $29K | -18% | 7,350 |
| Indiana | $28K | -19% | 43,620 |
| Tennessee | $28K | -21% | 52,120 |
| Alabama | $27K | -24% | 28,760 |
| Nevada | $26K | -25% | 42,520 |
| Alaska | $26K | -25% | 3,830 |
| Minnesota | $25K | -28% | 37,630 |
| Arkansas | $25K | -30% | 17,880 |
| Wyoming | $24K | -32% | 3,620 |
| Montana | $23K | -34% | 7,200 |
| Texas | $23K | -34% | 199,610 |
| Mississippi | $21K | -39% | 15,190 |
| Iowa | $21K | -40% | 22,410 |
| Georgia | $19K | -47% | 76,470 |
| South Carolina | $18K | -48% | 47,200 |
| Oklahoma | $18K | -49% | 27,000 |
| Louisiana | $15K | -57% | 33,870 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Providence-Warwick numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Providence-Warwick?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 69.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,729/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 Providence-Warwick?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,872/month. At HUD’s $1,729/month FMR, rent would take 92% 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 Providence-Warwick?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $36K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Providence-Warwick compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Providence-Warwick pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA?
The median is $35,750 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $62,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Providence-Warwick?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,483/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,729/month, which eats 69.6% 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 Providence-Warwick?
Providence-Warwick has a Regional Price Parity of 101.77 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median waiters and waitresses salary is worth about $35,128 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.