Waiters and Waitresses

Median salary, education path, job outlook, and related careers — based on U.S. labor data.

What a Waiters and Waitresses does

Take customer orders, serve food and drinks, and ensure dining satisfaction in restaurants and other food service establishments. Require attentiveness, good memory, and strong interpersonal skills.

Education & path

The typical entry point is a high school diploma. No degree required — short-term training or on-the-job learning.

Estimated cost of that path: No degree cost. Estimates only — actual cost varies widely by school and financial aid; payback assumes ~20% of income applied.

Related careers

• Fast Food and Counter Workers — $31,200/yr
• Baristas — $31,200/yr
• Cooks, Restaurant — $37,390/yr
• First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $44,080/yr
• Food Preparation Workers — $35,320/yr