Waiters and Waitresses salary · North Carolina
Waiters and Waitresses Salary in North Carolina
Waiters and Waitresses in North Carolina earn a median of $32,150 a year, which is $15.46 an hour. That is $3,080 below the national median of $35,230, a difference of 9 percent. The state employs 71,940.
North Carolina against the US May 2025
| Figure | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $32,150 | $35,230 |
| Median hourly | $15.46 | $16.94 |
| Mean annual | $37,850 | $40,060 |
| 10th percentile | $17,140 | $18,100 |
| 90th percentile | $62,670 | $64,720 |
| Employment | 71,940 | 2,270,910 |
How North Carolina compares
By median pay, North Carolina ranks 9 of the 12 states this site reports for waiters and waitresses. Ranking is on the published median only. It says nothing about how far that salary goes once housing, state income tax and commuting are paid, and those differences between states are frequently larger than the pay gap itself.
Other states for waiters and waitresses May 2025
| State | Median | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $47,020 | $22.61 | 142,940 |
| Virginia | $44,760 | $21.52 | 59,370 |
| Arizona | $43,950 | $21.13 | 55,950 |
| Michigan | $37,760 | $18.16 | 65,090 |
| Ohio | $36,700 | $17.65 | 77,250 |
| Florida | $36,150 | $17.38 | 207,180 |
| California | $36,080 | $17.35 | 229,970 |
| Pennsylvania | $34,690 | $16.68 | 82,300 |
| Illinois | $31,200 | $15.00 | 72,900 |
| Texas | $23,240 | $11.18 | 199,610 |
| Georgia | $18,700 | $8.99 | 76,470 |
Common questions
How much do waiters and waitresses make in North Carolina?
The median salary for waiters and waitresses in North Carolina is $32,150 a year, or $15.46 an hour. That is $3,080 below the national median of $35,230, a difference of 9 percent. North Carolina employs 71,940 of them.
Is North Carolina a good state to work as a waiters and waitresse?
On pay alone, North Carolina ranks 9 of the 12 states this site reports for the occupation, by median salary. Pay is only half the question though: a state with a higher median can still leave you with less once housing and taxes are counted, and this site does not adjust for cost of living.
What is the pay range for waiters and waitresses in North Carolina?
The lowest-paid 10 percent earn $17,140 or less and the highest-paid 10 percent earn $62,670 or more. The middle half falls between $20,800 and $48,550.
Where these numbers come from
Published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release, for SOC code 35-3031 in North Carolina. Nothing on this page is interpolated or averaged by this site. See the national waiters and waitresses salary page for the full picture, or how to read these figures for what the survey covers.