Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Vermont, waiters and waitresses earn $59,140 at the median, or about $28.43 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $89K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.95), that's roughly $58,583 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,498/month, about 38.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Vermont. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $59K get you in Vermont?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in Vermont
Vermont sits well above the national pay line for waiters and waitresses, local pay runs about 68% higher than the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,498/month, which is 37.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.95) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Vermont
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $89K or more, a $60K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in Vermont
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington-South Burlington | $62K | +4% | 1,510 |
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Vermont numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Vermont?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 37.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,498/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Vermont?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,781/month. At HUD’s $1,498/month FMR, rent would take 84% 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 Vermont?
Local pay is 68% above the national median — $59K here vs. $35K nationally.
How does Vermont compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Vermont pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +68%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.95), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Vermont?
The median is $59,140 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,690, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $89,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Vermont?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,005/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,498/month, which eats 37.4% 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 Vermont?
Vermont has a Regional Price Parity of 100.95 (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 $58,583 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.