Waiters and Waitresses pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,780 a year or less, while the top 10% make $74,900 or more. The middle half of waiters and waitresses in San Francisco earn between $36,880 and $43,310.
- $36K10th
- $37K25th
- $39KMedian
- $43K75th
- $75K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $46,460 | $3,872 | $22.34 |
| Median | $38,860 | $3,238 | $18.68 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,880 | $3,073 | $17.73 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $43,310 | $3,609 | $20.82 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Waiters and Waitresses pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Waiters and waitresses in San Francisco earn 4% more than the California average ($44,600) and 16% more than the U.S. average ($40,060). At the median the gap is +10% against the U.S. median of $35,230.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $46,460 | $38,860 | $35,780 | $74,900 | 29,080 |
| California | $44,600 | $36,080 | $34,320 | $68,950 | 229,970 |
| United States | $40,060 | $35,230 | $18,100 | $64,720 | 2,270,910 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Waiters and Waitresses salary after taxes in San Francisco
On the average salary of $46,460, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $38,517 a year, or $3,210 a month and $1,481 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Francisco a good place for waiters and waitresses? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $46,460 buys what about $40,186 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.5 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 24.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Waiters and Waitresses salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 3rd of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($52,010).
- San Jose$52,010
- San Diego$47,700
- San Francisco$46,460
- Salinas$45,820
- Riverside$45,660
- San Luis Obispo$45,180
- Napa$45,100
- Santa Cruz$45,020
- Sacramento$44,840
- Santa Rosa$43,890
Highest-paying cities for waiters and waitresses
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($87,210).
- Kahului, HI$87,210
- Seattle, WA$62,940
- Honolulu, HI$61,880
- Bremerton, WA$61,770
- Burlington, VT$61,070
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Waiters and Waitresses salary in San Francisco: questions
How much do waiters and waitresses make an hour in San Francisco?
$22.34 an hour on average, and $18.69 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level waiters and waitresses salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,780 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,880, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the waiters and waitresses take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $38,517 a year ($3,210 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $46,460. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do waiters and waitresses earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 16% more than the U.S. average for this job ($40,060).
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 35-3031; area San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.2%.
- 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.84, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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