Waiters and Waitresses pay in Pennsylvania
$38,110avg. a year
$18.32 an hour · 82,300 employed
Waiters and Waitresses in Pennsylvania earn an average of $38,110 a year. That is $1,950 (5%) less than the U.S. average of $40,060. The best-paying metro area is Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD at $41,390.
$34,690Median pay
$18.32Average hourly
+45%Avg. pay since 2020
#27Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Pennsylvania metro areas
Average pay for waiters and waitresses by metro area. Swipe to see all 16.
141,900 jobs
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
$41,390
$19.90 an hour
216,120 jobs
Pittsburgh, PA
$39,630
$19.05 an hour
35,310 jobs
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
$38,400
$18.46 an hour
43,920 jobs
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
$37,830
$18.19 an hour
51,350 jobs
State College, PA
$37,170
$17.87 an hour
63,520 jobs
Lancaster, PA
$37,080
$17.83 an hour
72,340 jobs
York-Hanover, PA
$37,000
$17.79 an hour
8690 jobs
Lebanon, PA
$36,240
$17.43 an hour
92,060 jobs
Reading, PA
$36,110
$17.36 an hour
10660 jobs
Gettysburg, PA
$35,360
$17.00 an hour
113,200 jobs
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA
$35,160
$16.91 an hour
12750 jobs
Chambersburg, PA
$34,900
$16.78 an hour
13730 jobs
Williamsport, PA
$34,660
$16.66 an hour
141,840 jobs
Erie, PA
$33,540
$16.13 an hour
15640 jobs
Johnstown, PA
$32,660
$15.70 an hour
16880 jobs
Altoona, PA
$32,490
$15.62 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 Pennsylvania, charted
Pay over time
Pennsylvania, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Pennsylvania waiters and waitresses work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Pennsylvania highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $31k$31k–$38k$38k–$45k$45k+Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $40,060 | $19.26 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,110 | $18.32 |
| New York | $54,750 | $26.32 |
| New Jersey | $50,260 | $24.16 |
| Maryland | $43,950 | $21.13 |
| Delaware | $43,070 | $20.71 |
| Ohio | $42,190 | $20.28 |
Related jobs in Pennsylvania
Average pay, Pennsylvania, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Pennsylvania?
The average is $38,110 a year, and the median is $34,690. That is $1,950 (5%) less than the U.S. average of $40,060.
What is the hourly wage in Pennsylvania?
$18.32 an hour on average; the median is $16.68.
Where in Pennsylvania do they earn the most?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($41,390), followed by Pittsburgh, PA ($39,630). The lowest average among 16 metro areas with data is Altoona, PA ($32,490).
How does Pennsylvania rank?
Pennsylvania ranks #27 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.