Waiters and Waitresses pay in California
$44,600avg. a year
$21.44 an hour · 229,970 employed
Waiters and Waitresses in California earn an average of $44,600 a year. That is $4,540 (11%) more than the U.S. average of $40,060. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $52,010.
$36,080Median pay
$21.44Average hourly
+30%Avg. pay since 2020
#14Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for waiters and waitresses by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
112,600 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$52,010
$25.00 an hour
224,050 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$47,700
$22.94 an hour
329,080 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$46,460
$22.34 an hour
43,100 jobs
Salinas, CA
$45,820
$22.03 an hour
520,810 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$45,660
$21.95 an hour
62,640 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$45,180
$21.72 an hour
71,930 jobs
Napa, CA
$45,100
$21.68 an hour
81,640 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$45,020
$21.64 an hour
913,460 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$44,840
$21.56 an hour
103,670 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$43,890
$21.10 an hour
111,660 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$43,840
$21.08 an hour
124,530 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$42,730
$20.54 an hour
1385,210 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$42,640
$20.50 an hour
143,540 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$42,600
$20.48 an hour
154,340 jobs
Fresno, CA
$42,430
$20.40 an hour
162,330 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$41,950
$20.17 an hour
172,140 jobs
Modesto, CA
$41,200
$19.81 an hour
182,920 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$41,180
$19.80 an hour
19680 jobs
Redding, CA
$40,620
$19.53 an hour
201,410 jobs
Visalia, CA
$40,020
$19.24 an hour
21990 jobs
Chico, CA
$39,330
$18.91 an hour
22480 jobs
El Centro, CA
$39,160
$18.83 an hour
23380 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$38,950
$18.72 an hour
24450 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$38,870
$18.69 an hour
25560 jobs
Merced, CA
$38,610
$18.56 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Waiters and Waitresses pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California waiters and waitresses work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $31k$31k–$38k$38k–$45k$45k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $40,060 | $19.26 |
| California | $44,600 | $21.44 |
| Oregon | $52,400 | $25.19 |
| Arizona | $51,170 | $24.60 |
| Nevada | $36,870 | $17.73 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do waiters and waitresses make in California?
The average is $44,600 a year, and the median is $36,080. That is $4,540 (11%) more than the U.S. average of $40,060.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$21.44 an hour on average; the median is $17.35.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($52,010), followed by San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA ($47,700). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Merced, CA ($38,610).
How does California rank?
California ranks #14 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 35-3031. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national waiters and waitresses page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.