Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay range in Seattle
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,820 a year or less, while the top 10% make $56,420 or more. The middle half of food servers, nonrestaurant in Seattle earn between $38,380 and $47,400.
- $38K10th
- $38K25th
- $41KMedian
- $47K75th
- $56K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $43,720 | $3,643 | $21.02 |
| Median | $40,640 | $3,387 | $19.54 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $38,380 | $3,198 | $18.45 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $47,400 | $3,950 | $22.79 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay in Seattle vs. Washington and the U.S.
Food servers, nonrestaurant in Seattle earn 4% more than the Washington average ($42,000) and 21% more than the U.S. average ($36,140). At the median the gap is +15% against the U.S. median of $35,360.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $43,720 | $40,640 | $37,820 | $56,420 | 4,800 |
| Washington | $42,000 | $38,870 | $35,050 | $50,910 | 8,050 |
| 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 Seattle
On the average salary of $43,720, a single filer in Seattle takes home about $37,309 a year, or $3,109 a month and $1,435 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
Is Seattle a good place for food servers, nonrestaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Seattle area are 11% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.1), so the average $43,720 buys what about $39,340 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Seattle ($72,610). A typical home costs $750,279, or 17.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary in other Washington cities
Seattle ranks 1st of 11 Washington metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Seattle$43,720
- Olympia$41,440
- Kennewick$41,080
- Bremerton$40,010
- Spokane$39,620
- Mount Vernon$38,730
- Longview$38,140
- Yakima$37,970
- Wenatchee$37,950
- Bellingham$37,670
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 Seattle: questions
How much do food servers, nonrestaurant make an hour in Seattle?
$21.02 an hour on average, and $19.54 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food servers, nonrestaurant salary in Seattle?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,820 a year and the 25th percentile is $38,380, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food servers, nonrestaurant take-home pay in Seattle?
About $37,309 a year ($3,109 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $43,720. Washington has no state income tax; Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
Do food servers, nonrestaurant earn more in Seattle than elsewhere?
The average here is 21% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (42660). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
- 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 no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.22, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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