Waiters and Waitresses pay range in Honolulu
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,120 a year or less, while the top 10% make $101,690 or more. The middle half of waiters and waitresses in Honolulu earn between $29,320 and $80,690.
- $29K10th
- $29K25th
- $60KMedian
- $81K75th
- $102K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $61,880 | $5,157 | $29.75 |
| Median | $60,250 | $5,021 | $28.97 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,320 | $2,443 | $14.10 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $80,690 | $6,724 | $38.79 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Waiters and Waitresses pay in Honolulu vs. Hawaii and the U.S.
Waiters and waitresses in Honolulu earn 9% less than the Hawaii average ($68,260) and 54% more than the U.S. average ($40,060). At the median the gap is +71% against the U.S. median of $35,230.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu | $61,880 | $60,250 | $29,120 | $101,690 | 8,550 |
| Hawaii | $68,260 | $62,390 | $29,120 | $119,870 | 14,090 |
| 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 Honolulu
On the average salary of $61,880, a single filer in Honolulu takes home about $49,001 a year, or $4,083 a month and $1,885 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Hawaii's top brackets above $125,000 follow Act 46 (2024).
Is Honolulu a good place for waiters and waitresses? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Honolulu area are 11% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.0), so the average $61,880 buys what about $55,767 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Honolulu ($57,220). A typical home costs $851,163, or 13.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Waiters and Waitresses salary in other Hawaii cities
Honolulu ranks 2nd of 2 Hawaii metro areas for this job; Kahului pays the most ($87,210).
- Kahului$87,210
- Honolulu$61,880
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 Honolulu: questions
How much do waiters and waitresses make an hour in Honolulu?
$29.75 an hour on average, and $28.96 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level waiters and waitresses salary in Honolulu?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,120 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,320, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the waiters and waitresses take-home pay in Honolulu?
About $49,001 a year ($4,083 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $61,880. Hawaii's top brackets above $125,000 follow Act 46 (2024).
Do waiters and waitresses earn more in Honolulu than elsewhere?
The average here is 54% 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 Urban Honolulu, HI (46520). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.4%.
- 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). Hawaii's top brackets above $125,000 follow Act 46 (2024).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.31, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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