U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsServe food to diners at counter or from a steam table. Counter attendants who also wait tables are included in "Waiters and Waitresses" (35-3031).
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 446,660 | 2.0 % | $9.27 | $19,280 | 0.4 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $7.58 | $8.05 | $8.83 | $9.76 | $11.93 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $15,760 | $16,750 | $18,370 | $20,310 | $24,820 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limited-Service Eating Places | 214,190 | 5.33 | $8.82 | $18,340 |
| Special Food Services | 40,120 | 7.29 | $9.53 | $19,820 |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries | 35,070 | 9.89 | $8.90 | $18,510 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | 31,920 | 0.37 | $10.53 | $21,900 |
| Full-Service Restaurants | 22,330 | 0.50 | $9.12 | $18,980 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motion Picture and Video Industries | 35,070 | 9.89 | $8.90 | $18,510 |
| Special Food Services | 40,120 | 7.29 | $9.53 | $19,820 |
| Limited-Service Eating Places | 214,190 | 5.33 | $8.82 | $18,340 |
| Specialty Food Stores | 7,060 | 3.33 | $9.25 | $19,240 |
| Amusement Parks and Arcades | 5,190 | 3.24 | $9.74 | $20,260 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Government (OES Designation) | 270 | 0.01 | $15.35 | $31,920 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | 90 | 0.04 | $13.57 | $28,230 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water | 60 | 0.46 | $13.50 | $28,080 |
| Other General Merchandise Stores | 8,310 | 0.55 | $12.23 | $25,440 |
| Insurance Carriers | 70 | 0.01 | $11.88 | $24,710 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 60,940 | 4.35 | 1.24 | $10.00 | $20,790 |
| New York | 35,000 | 4.20 | 1.19 | $9.41 | $19,570 |
| Texas | 31,020 | 3.07 | 0.88 | $8.38 | $17,420 |
| Washington | 22,400 | 8.32 | 2.37 | $9.71 | $20,190 |
| Florida | 21,100 | 2.97 | 0.85 | $9.09 | $18,900 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | 3,660 | 9.46 | 2.69 | $8.65 | $18,000 |
| Rhode Island | 3,880 | 8.67 | 2.47 | $9.44 | $19,630 |
| Washington | 22,400 | 8.32 | 2.37 | $9.71 | $20,190 |
| Idaho | 4,000 | 6.72 | 1.91 | $8.64 | $17,960 |
| Connecticut | 9,780 | 6.12 | 1.74 | $9.62 | $20,000 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 1,060 | 1.66 | 0.47 | $11.23 | $23,350 |
| Nevada | 4,190 | 3.77 | 1.07 | $10.92 | $22,720 |
| Hawaii | 2,280 | 3.98 | 1.13 | $10.87 | $22,600 |
| Alaska | 1,330 | 4.33 | 1.23 | $10.30 | $21,420 |
| Massachusetts | 12,150 | 3.90 | 1.11 | $10.23 | $21,270 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 17,130 | 3.44 | 0.98 | $10.30 | $21,430 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 14,810 | 3.88 | 1.10 | $9.64 | $20,050 |
| Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division | 11,590 | 8.61 | 2.45 | $9.73 | $20,250 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 10,270 | 6.10 | 1.74 | $8.61 | $17,910 |
| Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | 8,410 | 3.37 | 0.96 | $8.28 | $17,220 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 7,990 | 3.49 | 0.99 | $10.88 | $22,630 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division | 7,980 | 2.25 | 0.64 | $9.36 | $19,480 |
| Baltimore-Towson, MD | 7,380 | 5.96 | 1.70 | $9.17 | $19,070 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 6,240 | 3.72 | 1.06 | $8.96 | $18,630 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 6,120 | 3.06 | 0.87 | $8.35 | $17,370 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wenatchee, WA | 650 | 16.66 | 4.74 | $9.31 | $19,360 |
| Rapid City, SD | 800 | 13.64 | 3.88 | $8.59 | $17,860 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 490 | 11.62 | 3.31 | $9.85 | $20,500 |
| Bellingham, WA | 850 | 11.55 | 3.29 | $9.81 | $20,400 |
| Monroe, MI | 420 | 11.42 | 3.25 | $9.89 | $20,570 |
| Tacoma, WA Metropolitan Division | 2,910 | 11.42 | 3.25 | $9.70 | $20,190 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 820 | 9.93 | 2.83 | $9.80 | $20,380 |
| Sioux Falls, SD | 1,310 | 9.86 | 2.81 | $8.82 | $18,350 |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | 480 | 9.30 | 2.65 | $8.35 | $17,360 |
| Yuma, AZ | 520 | 9.25 | 2.63 | $8.06 | $16,760 |