Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay range in Denver
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,910 a year or less, while the top 10% make $51,440 or more. The middle half of food servers, nonrestaurant in Denver earn between $37,340 and $46,600.
- $32K10th
- $37K25th
- $40KMedian
- $47K75th
- $51K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $41,800 | $3,483 | $20.10 |
| Median | $39,850 | $3,321 | $19.16 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,340 | $3,112 | $17.95 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $46,600 | $3,883 | $22.40 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay in Denver vs. Colorado and the U.S.
Food servers, nonrestaurant in Denver earn about the same as the Colorado average ($40,920) and 16% more than the U.S. average ($36,140). At the median the gap is +13% against the U.S. median of $35,360.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | $41,800 | $39,850 | $31,910 | $51,440 | 4,570 |
| Colorado | $40,920 | $38,900 | $31,860 | $51,440 | 7,750 |
| United States | $36,140 | $35,360 | $28,030 | $46,120 | 293,900 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary after taxes in Denver
On the average salary of $41,800, a single filer in Denver takes home about $34,636 a year, or $2,886 a month and $1,332 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Denver a good place for food servers, nonrestaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Denver area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.8), so the average $41,800 buys what about $39,515 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Denver ($62,320). A typical home costs $573,221, or 13.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary in other Colorado cities
Denver ranks 1st of 7 Colorado metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Denver$41,800
- Boulder$40,760
- Pueblo$39,380
- Fort Collins$38,870
- Grand Junction$38,730
- Colorado Springs$38,670
- Greeley$37,870
Highest-paying cities for food servers, nonrestaurant
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($59,020).
- Kahului, HI$59,020
- San Jose, CA$50,590
- San Francisco, CA$48,600
- Napa, CA$48,550
- Vallejo, CA$46,710
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Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary in Denver: questions
How much do food servers, nonrestaurant make an hour in Denver?
$20.10 an hour on average, and $19.16 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food servers, nonrestaurant salary in Denver?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,910 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,340, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food servers, nonrestaurant take-home pay in Denver?
About $34,636 a year ($2,886 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $41,800. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do food servers, nonrestaurant earn more in Denver than elsewhere?
The average here is 16% more than the U.S. average for this job ($36,140).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-3041; area Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (19740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.6%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.50, this job is 1.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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