Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Vallejo, CA, waiters and waitresses earn $36,610 at the median, or about $17.6 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $68K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.48), so that salary is closer to $33,748 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,178/month, about 86.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in Vallejo?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Vallejo’s Regional Price Parity (108.48). 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
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What this looks like in Vallejo
Waiters and waitresses pay in Vallejo 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 $2,178/month, which is 84.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.48), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for waiters and waitresses in metros near Vallejo, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $36K | $32K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $39K | $34K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $36K | $32K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $35K | $33K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Vallejo, CA
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $68K or more, a $34K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Vallejo?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 84.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,178/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 Vallejo?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,069/month. At HUD’s $2,178/month FMR, rent would take 105% 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 Vallejo?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $37K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Vallejo compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Vallejo pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.48), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Vallejo, CA?
The median is $36,610 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,490, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $68,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Vallejo?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,567/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,178/month, which eats 84.8% 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 Vallejo?
Vallejo has a Regional Price Parity of 108.48 (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 $33,748 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.