What are the main factors that influence a Wait Staff's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Wait Staff's salary?

A Wait Staff's salary grows with experience: a Wait Staff (0-1 years)earns $23,211, a Restaurant Assistant General Manager (1-3 years)earns $40,293, a Restaurant Operations Manager (3-5 years)earns $54,394, a Restaurant Sales/Operations Regional Manager (5+ years)earns $81,892, a Casino Restaurant Operations Director (5+ years)earns $113,999,

What are the highest paying cities for a Wait Staff?

Wait Staff salary varies significantly by city. The top 3 highest paying cities in Minnesota for Wait Staff roles are San Jose $30,900, San Francisco $30,600, Oakland $29,900.

How much do different types of Wait Staff roles make?

Salaries for Wait Staff level roles vary by specialization: Chief of Staff: $228,681; Staff Pharmacist: $151,290; Service and Wait Staff Manager: $85,750; Project Staff: $76,633; Staff Accountant: $74,096.

What specialized skills increase a Wait Staff's salary?

Skills with high demand and low supply, such as Products and Services (up to 26% premium), Problem Solving (up to 3% premium), Collaboration (up to 3% premium), directly translate to higher compensation. Employers pay more for these capabilities to gain a competitive edge.

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Wait Staff Salary in Bowstring, MN

How much does a Wait Staff make in Bowstring, MN?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Wait Staff in Bowstring, MN is $23,300 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $11.

However, a Wait Staff's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $26,357
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $21,400 to $24,900
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $19,670

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Wait Staff Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$24,900	$2,075	$479	$12
Average	$23,300	$1,942	$448	$11
25th Percentile	$21,400	$1,783	$412	$10

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Key Factors That Influence Wait Staff Salaries

A Wait Staff's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Wait Staff Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Wait Staff's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Wait Staff (0-1 years): $23,211
Restaurant Assistant General Manager (1-3 years): $40,293
Restaurant Operations Manager (3-5 years): $54,394
Restaurant Sales/Operations Regional Manager (5+ years): $81,892
Casino Restaurant Operations Director (5+ years): $113,999

Job Role	Years of Experience	Average Salary
Wait Staff	0-1 years	$23,211
Restaurant Assistant General Manager	1-3 years	$40,293
Restaurant Operations Manager	3-5 years	$54,394
Restaurant Sales/Operations Regional Manager	5+ years	$81,892
Casino Restaurant Operations Director	5+ years	$113,999

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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Wait Stafves

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $30,900
San Francisco: $30,600
Oakland: $29,900

San Jose, CA $30,900

San Francisco, CA $30,600

Oakland, CA $29,900

New York, NY $28,400

Queens Village, NY $28,200

Paramus, NJ $28,000

Passaic, NJ $28,000

Huntington, NY $27,900

Stamford, CT $27,900

Bergenfield, NJ $27,900

Newark, NJ $27,700

Bridgeport, CT $27,700

New Brunswick, NJ $27,600

Vallejo, CA $27,500

Middlesex, NJ $27,500

Somerset, NJ $27,500

Petaluma, CA $27,400

Boston, MA $27,300

Santa Cruz, CA $27,300

Monterey, CA $27,200

Fairbanks, AK $27,200

Los Angeles, CA $27,100

Washington, DC $27,100

Seattle, WA $27,100

Santa Rosa, CA $27,000

Juneau, AK $27,000

Anchorage, AK $26,900

Orange, CA $26,900

Anaheim, CA $26,800

Santa Ana, CA $26,800

Nassau, NY $26,800

Long Beach, CA $26,800

Danbury, CT $26,800

Santa Maria, CA $26,700

Everett, WA $26,700

Bremerton, WA $26,600

Tacoma, WA $26,500

Brockton, MA $26,500

San Diego, CA $26,500

Sacramento, CA $26,500

Trenton, NJ $26,500

Santa Barbara, CA $26,400

Lowell, MA $26,300

New Suffolk, NY $26,300

Nashua, NH $26,300

Lompoc, CA $26,300

Stockton, CA $26,200

New Haven, CT $26,200

Ventura, CA $26,200

Atlantic City, NJ $26,100

Hartford, CT $26,100

Modesto, CA $26,100

Poughkeepsie, NY $26,000

New Britain, CT $26,000

Olympia, WA $26,000

Kennewick, WA $26,000

Bakersfield, CA $25,900

Lawrence, MA $25,900

Norwich, CT $25,900

New London, CT $25,900

Riverside, CA $25,800

New Bedford, MA $25,800

Richland, WA $25,800

Portsmouth, NH $25,800

Vineland, NJ $25,800

San Bernardino, CA $25,800

Worcester, MA $25,700

Boulder, CO $25,700

Portland, OR $25,600

Saint Paul, MN $25,600

Minneapolis, MN $25,600

Philadelphia, PA $25,600

Honolulu, HI $25,500

Springfield, MA $25,400

Providence, RI $25,400

Chicago, IL $25,300

Bellingham, WA $25,300

Chico, CA $25,200

Baltimore, MD $25,200

Wilmington, DE $25,100

Pittsfield, MA $25,100

Manchester, NH $25,100

Spokane, WA $25,000

Denver, CO $25,000

Troy, NY $24,800

Schenectady, NY $24,800

Albany, NY $24,800

Burlington, VT $24,700

Portland, ME $24,600

Salem, OR $24,600

Yakima, WA $24,600

Ann Arbor, MI $24,600

Allentown, PA $24,500

Carson City, NV $24,500

Detroit, MI $24,500

Milwaukee, WI $24,500

Reno, NV $24,500

Fresno, CA $24,500

Rochester, MN $24,500

Houston, TX $24,400

Colorado Springs, CO $24,400

Syracuse, NY $24,400

Eugene, OR $24,400

Fort Collins, CO $24,300

Medford, OR $24,300

Springfield, OR $24,300

Gary, IN $24,300

Bismarck, ND $24,300

Galveston, TX $24,300

Dallas, TX $24,200

Austin, TX $24,200

Mesa, AZ $24,200

Phoenix, AZ $24,200

Reading, PA $24,200

Utica, NY $24,100

Madison, WI $24,100

Concord, NH $24,100

Saint Cloud, MN $24,100

Raleigh, NC $24,000

Las Vegas, NV $24,000

Rochester, NY $24,000

Des Moines, IA $24,000

Atlanta, GA $24,000

Battle Creek, MI $24,000

Salt Lake City, UT $24,000

Fort Worth, TX $23,900

Kansas City, KS $23,900

Kansas City, MO $23,900

Champaign, IL $23,900

Harrisburg, PA $23,900

Lancaster, PA $23,900

Durham, NC $23,900

Indianapolis, IN $23,800

Petersburg, VA $23,800

Cincinnati, OH $23,800

Richmond, VA $23,800

Columbus, OH $23,800

Cleveland, OH $23,800

Boca Raton, FL $23,800

Pittsburgh, PA $23,800

Billings, MT $23,700

Lansing, MI $23,700

Huntsville, AL $23,700

Lebanon, PA $23,700

Dayton, OH $23,700

Pueblo, CO $23,700

Appleton, WI $23,700

Buffalo, NY $23,700

Racine, WI $23,700

Charlotte, NC $23,700

Saint Louis, MO $23,700

Rock Hill, SC $23,600

Rockford, IL $23,600

Binghamton, NY $23,600

Elyria, OH $23,600

Fargo, ND $23,600

Lorain, OH $23,600

Toledo, OH $23,600

Beaumont, TX $23,600

Benton Harbor, MI $23,600

Gastonia, NC $23,600

York, PA $23,600

Elkhart, IN $23,600

Springfield, IL $23,600

Miami, FL $23,500

Duluth, MN $23,500

Flagstaff, AZ $23,500

Fort Lauderdale, FL $23,500

Bangor, ME $23,400

Cedar Rapids, IA $23,400

Louisville, KY $23,400

Grand Rapids, MI $23,400

Hialeah, FL $23,400

Casper, WY $23,400

Green Bay, WI $23,300

Baton Rouge, LA $23,300

Peoria, IL $23,300

Sarasota, FL $23,300

Virginia Beach, VA $23,300

New Orleans, LA $23,300

Scranton, PA $23,300

Akron, OH $23,300

Bradenton, FL $23,200

Evansville, IN $23,200

Port Arthur, TX $23,200

Omaha, NE $23,200

Saint Petersburg, FL $23,200

Tampa, FL $23,200

Tucson, AZ $23,200

Davenport, IA $23,200

Jamestown, NY $23,200

Nashville, TN $23,200

Charleston, SC $23,200

Cheyenne, WY $23,200

Santa Fe, NM $23,100

Orlando, FL $23,100

Clearwater, FL $23,100

Ogden, UT $23,000

Laramie, WY $23,000

Norfolk, VA $23,000

Corpus Christi, TX $23,000

High Point, NC $23,000

La Crosse, WI $23,000

Tulsa, OK $23,000

Albuquerque, NM $23,000

Grand Forks, ND $23,000

Canton, OH $23,000

Newport News, VA $23,000

Spartanburg, SC $22,900

Waterloo, IA $22,900

Fort Myers, FL $22,900

Moline, IL $22,900

Memphis, TN $22,900

Salisbury, NC $22,900

Jacksonville, FL $22,900

Saginaw, MI $22,900

Rock Island, IL $22,900

Boise, ID $22,800

Winston Salem, NC $22,800

South Bend, IN $22,800

Savannah, GA $22,800

Greensboro, NC $22,800

San Antonio, TX $22,800

Cedar Falls, IA $22,800

Provo, UT $22,800

Birmingham, AL $22,800

Fort Wayne, IN $22,800

Lincoln, NE $22,800

Springfield, OH $22,800

Muskegon, MI $22,700

Lima, OH $22,700

Lake Charles, LA $22,700

Anderson, IN $22,700

Lexington, KY $22,700

Augusta, GA $22,700

Greenville, SC $22,700

Bloomington, IN $22,600

Tuscaloosa, AL $22,600

Wichita, KS $22,600

Columbia, SC $22,600

Roanoke, VA $22,500

Asheville, NC $22,500

Knoxville, TN $22,500

Shreveport, LA $22,500

Chillicothe, OH $22,400

Wilmington, NC $22,400

Frankfort, KY $22,400

Oklahoma City, OK $22,400

Longview, TX $22,400

Melbourne, FL $22,300

Altoona, PA $22,300

Erie, PA $22,300

Topeka, KS $22,300

Mobile, AL $22,300

Amarillo, TX $22,300

Terre Haute, IN $22,300

Killeen, TX $22,300

Sioux Falls, SD $22,200

Gainesville, FL $22,200

Idaho Falls, ID $22,200

Fayetteville, AR $22,200

Chattanooga, TN $22,200

Portsmouth, OH $22,100

Little Rock, AR $22,100

Lynchburg, VA $22,100

Lafayette, LA $22,100

Youngstown, OH $22,100

Temple, TX $22,100

Daytona Beach, FL $22,100

Clarksville, TN $22,100

Pensacola, FL $22,100

Sioux City, IA $22,000

Hopkinsville, KY $22,000

Charleston, WV $22,000

Florence, SC $22,000

Vincennes, IN $21,900

Fayetteville, NC $21,900

Lubbock, TX $21,900

Pine Bluff, AR $21,900

Tallahassee, FL $21,900

Wichita Falls, TX $21,900

Waco, TX $21,900

Macon, GA $21,900

Great Falls, MT $21,800

Alamogordo, NM $21,800

Abilene, TX $21,800

Rapid City, SD $21,800

Monroe, LA $21,800

Albany, GA $21,800

Huntington, WV $21,800

Jackson, MS $21,800

Greenville, MS $21,800

Springfield, MO $21,700

Johnstown, PA $21,700

Biloxi, MS $21,700

Parkersburg, WV $21,700

Montgomery, AL $21,700

Sumter, SC $21,600

Columbus, GA $21,600

Twin Falls, ID $21,600

Pascagoula, MS $21,600

Kingsport, TN $21,500

Gulfport, MS $21,500

Fort Smith, AR $21,400

Alexandria, LA $21,400

El Paso, TX $21,300

Helena, MT $21,300

Las Cruces, NM $21,200

Dothan, AL $21,100

Harlingen, TX $21,100

Pocatello, ID $21,100

Florence, AL $21,100

Brownsville, TX $21,100

Mcallen, TX $21,100

Columbus, MS $20,900

Altus, OK $20,800

Lawton, OK $20,700

Pierre, SD $20,600

What Skills Can Increase a Wait Staff's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Customer Service (Mentioned in 11.92% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Point of Sale (Mentioned in 2.74% Job Postings): Accepting payments from customers for goods and services either in person or online.
Product Quality (Mentioned in 1.88% Job Postings): Product quality refers to how well a product satisfies customer needs, serves its purpose and meets industry standards. When evaluating product quality, businesses consider several key factors, including whether a product solves a problem, works efficiently or suits customers' purposes.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Customer Service	11.92%
Point of Sale	2.74%
Product Quality	1.88%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Wait Staff's salary.

Products and Services: Can increase your salary by up to 26%.
Problem Solving: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Products and Services	$29,358	26%
Problem Solving	$23,999	3%
Collaboration	$23,999	3%
Team Management	$23,999	3%
Food Safety	$23,533	1%
Leadership	$23,533	1%

Get Latest Data

Wait Staff Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Wait Staff's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on April 01, 2026

$21,400

Average $23,300/year

$24,900

$1,783

Average $1,942/month

$2,075

$412

Average $448/week

$479

$10

Average $11/hour

$12

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$24,900	$2,075	$479	$12
Average	$23,300	$1,942	$448	$11
25th Percentile	$21,400	$1,783	$412	$10

Wait Staff Salary Growth & Career Path

Wait Staff

Fast Food Restaurant Shift Supervisor

Gourmet Restaurant Manager - Casino

Culinary Services Supervisor

Food Service Operations Team Lead

Fast Food Restaurant Assistant Manager

Culinary Services Manager

Food Service Operations Manager

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As a Wait Staff, you have the following paths for advancement. The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles. By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.

Wait Staff Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role	Estimate Salary	Projected Raise
Fast Food Restaurant Shift Supervisor	$33,000	42%
Gourmet Restaurant Manager - Casino	$56,500	142%
Culinary Services Supervisor	$38,400	65%
Food Service Operations Team Lead	$39,200	68%

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