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Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Florida

What Waiters and Waitresses earn in Florida, labor market by labor market, and what is left after taxes and living costs in 19 counties.

Average in FL
$36,178
local median wages, weighted
Rank among states
17 of 41
published states
Workers in state
205,520
BLS employment estimate
Wage areas
6
19 counties

Pay by labor market in Florida

Waiters and Waitresses pay by wage area in Florida
Wage areaMedian wageTake-home payMargin per yearLargest county
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL$37,070$31,914$4,777Hillsborough County, FL
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL$36,660$31,585$1,711Sarasota County, FL
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL$36,660$31,585$5,455Lee County, FL
Jacksonville, FL$36,630$31,561$7,147Duval County, FL
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL$36,070$31,111−$1,703Miami-Dade County, FL
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL$35,410$30,580$2,507Orange County, FL

Counties ranked by what is left after the basics

Waiters and Waitresses in Florida counties, by yearly margin
#CountyMedian wageTake-home payMargin per year
1Baker County, FL$36,630$31,561$13,003
2Duval County, FL$36,630$31,561$7,147
3St. Johns County, FL$36,630$31,561$7,147
4Clay County, FL$36,630$31,561$7,147
5Nassau County, FL$36,630$31,561$7,147
6Lee County, FL$36,660$31,585$5,455
7Hillsborough County, FL$37,070$31,914$4,777
8Pinellas County, FL$37,070$31,914$4,777
9Pasco County, FL$37,070$31,914$4,777
10Hernando County, FL$37,070$31,914$4,777
11Orange County, FL$35,410$30,580$2,507
12Seminole County, FL$35,410$30,580$2,507
13Osceola County, FL$35,410$30,580$2,507
14Lake County, FL$35,410$30,580$2,507
15Sarasota County, FL$36,660$31,585$1,711
16Manatee County, FL$36,660$31,585$1,711
17Broward County, FL$36,070$31,111$925
18Palm Beach County, FL$36,070$31,111−$347
19Miami-Dade County, FL$36,070$31,111−$1,703

Waiters and Waitresses pay in Florida

The employment-weighted average of local median wages for Waiters and Waitresses in Florida is $36,178, based on 205,520 workers. Among the 41 states with published data, that ranks number 17. The BLS national median for the occupation is $35,230, so Florida averages 2.7% above it.

Inside Florida, pay depends on the labor market. The highest local median is $37,070 in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL area and the lowest is $35,410 in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL, a difference of $1,660 across 6 wage areas.

Cost of living for Waiters and Waitresses in Florida

We compare 19 Florida counties after federal, Social Security, Medicare and state taxes and the four basics: a one-bedroom rental, food, home energy and gasoline. Baker County, FL leaves the largest yearly margin, $13,003. In Miami-Dade County, FL the basics cost $1,703 more than take-home pay. The median wage covers all four basics in 17 of the 19 counties.

Waiters and Waitresses in other states

The states with the highest average local median wages for Waiters and Waitresses are Washington ($54,839), Oregon ($50,502), New York ($47,178) and District of Columbia ($46,040).

Frequently asked questions: Waiters and Waitresses in Florida

How much do Waiters and Waitresses earn in Florida?

The employment-weighted average of local median wages is $36,178, from $35,410 to $37,070 depending on the labor market.

Which Florida county is best for Waiters and Waitresses?

Baker County, FL leaves the largest yearly margin after taxes and the four basics ($13,003). Duval County, FL follows at $7,147.