Waiters and Waitresses pay range in Raleigh
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $17,850 a year or less, while the top 10% make $64,240 or more. The middle half of waiters and waitresses in Raleigh earn between $22,090 and $48,990.
- $18K10th
- $22K25th
- $35KMedian
- $49K75th
- $64K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $39,430 | $3,286 | $18.96 |
| Median | $34,860 | $2,905 | $16.76 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $22,090 | $1,841 | $10.62 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $48,990 | $4,082 | $23.55 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Waiters and Waitresses pay in Raleigh vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Waiters and waitresses in Raleigh earn 4% more than the North Carolina average ($37,850) and about the same as the U.S. average ($40,060). At the median the gap is -1% against the U.S. median of $35,230.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh | $39,430 | $34,860 | $17,850 | $64,240 | 10,290 |
| North Carolina | $37,850 | $32,150 | $17,140 | $62,670 | 71,940 |
| 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 Raleigh
On the average salary of $39,430, a single filer in Raleigh takes home about $32,797 a year, or $2,733 a month and $1,261 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).
Is Raleigh a good place for waiters and waitresses? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Raleigh area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.2), so the average $39,430 buys what about $40,170 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Raleigh ($51,990). A typical home costs $438,364, or 11.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Waiters and Waitresses salary in other North Carolina cities
Raleigh ranks 3rd of 15 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Charlotte pays the most ($40,850).
- Charlotte$40,850
- Asheville$39,780
- Raleigh$39,430
- Pinehurst$38,240
- Durham$38,040
- Greensboro$36,630
- Wilmington$36,000
- Burlington$35,420
- Winston-Salem$34,790
- Fayetteville$34,750
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 Raleigh: questions
How much do waiters and waitresses make an hour in Raleigh?
$18.96 an hour on average, and $16.76 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level waiters and waitresses salary in Raleigh?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $17,850 a year and the 25th percentile is $22,090, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the waiters and waitresses take-home pay in Raleigh?
About $32,797 a year ($2,733 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $39,430.
Do waiters and waitresses earn more in Raleigh than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Raleigh-Cary, NC (39580). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.4%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.95, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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