Culinary Server Salary in the United States

How much does a Culinary Server make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Culinary Server in the United States is $24,634 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $12.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $28,008
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $22,689 to $26,400
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $20,918
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered HR
Smart Recruiting
View as table View as graph 25% $22,689 10% $20,918 90% $28,008 75% $26,400 $24,634 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Culinary Server Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $26,400 $2,200 $508 $13
Average $24,634 $2,053 $474 $12
25th Percentile $22,689 $1,891 $436 $11
Check out Culinary Server Job Openings in the United States
Outpatient Pediatric Physical Therapist

Treehouse Therapies - BEND, OR

Dynamic Dental Hygienist

Highland Smiles - DENVER, CO

Journeyman HVAC Installer

UMC, Inc. - BOISE, ID

Physical Therapist

Comprehensive Orthopaedics - WALLINGFORD, CT

Search More Culinary Server Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Culinary Server Salaries

A Culinary Server'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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Culinary Server Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Culinary Server'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $24,147
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $24,504
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $25,076
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $25,153
  • Expert (over 8 years): $25,283
Levels Salary
Entry Level Culinary Server$24,147
Intermediate Level Culinary Server$24,504
Senior Level Culinary Server$25,076
Specialist Level Culinary Server$25,153
Expert Level Culinary Server$25,283
$24,147 0 yr
$24,504 < 2 yrs
$25,076 2-4 yrs
$25,153 5-8 yrs
$25,283 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Culinary Server Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Culinary Servers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $27,275.
  • California: $27,171.
  • Massachusetts: $26,809.

Top Paying Cities for Culinary Servers

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: $31,071
  • San Francisco: $30,766
  • Oakland: $30,083

What Skills Can Increase a Culinary Server'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 Culinary Server'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
$31,039
26%
Problem Solving
$25,373
3%
Collaboration
$25,373
3%
Team Management
$25,373
3%
Food Safety
$24,880
1%
Leadership
$24,880
1%
Get Latest Data

Culinary Server Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Culinary Server'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 January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Culinary Server

Salaries for a Culinary Server can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $30,874 in 2023 to around $30,369 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Culinary Server salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Culinary Server Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$30,874
2024
$30,725
2025
$30,369
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $30,874
2024 $30,725
2025 $30,369
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Culinary Server

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Culinary Server

Here are companies hiring for Culinary Server and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Culinary Server Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Culinary Server job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst