Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Rhode Island, waiters and waitresses earn $35,420 at the median, or about $17.03 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 $34,804 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,544/month, about 63.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Rhode Island. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $35K get you in Rhode Island?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in Rhode Island
Waiters and waitresses pay in Rhode Island tracks closely to the national median, $35K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,544/month, which is 62.7% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rhode Island
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in Rhode Island
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick | $36K | +1% | 13,600 |
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Rhode Island numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rhode Island?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 62.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,544/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 Rhode Island?
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 $1,544/month FMR, rent would take 82% 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 Rhode Island?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $35K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Rhode Island compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Rhode Island pays $35K 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 Rhode Island?
The median is $35,420 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 $35K enough to live in Rhode Island?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,462/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,544/month, which eats 62.7% 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 Rhode Island?
Rhode Island 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 $34,804 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.