Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Utah, waiters and waitresses earn $31,150 at the median, or about $14.98 an hour. The range runs from $19K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.54), that's roughly $31,612 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,350/month, about 63.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Utah. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $31K get you in Utah?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in Utah
Pay for waiters and waitresses in Utah runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,350/month, which is 63.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.54) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for waiters and waitressess.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Utah
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $19K. Mid-career wages sit at $31K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in Utah
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ogden | $35K | +11% | 2,620 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $32K | +4% | 7,670 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $30K | -2% | 2,340 |
| Logan | $30K | -3% | 650 |
| St. George | $30K | -3% | 1,390 |
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Utah numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Utah?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $31K, rent takes 63.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,350/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/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 Utah?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $19K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,113/month. At HUD’s $1,350/month FMR, rent would take 121% 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 Utah?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $31K here vs. $35K nationally.
How does Utah compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Utah pays $31K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $32K — below the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Utah?
The median is $31,150 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $18,550, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $60,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $31K enough to live in Utah?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,135/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,350/month, which eats 63.2% 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 Utah?
Utah has a Regional Price Parity of 98.54 (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 $31,612 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.