Waiters and Waitresses pay in Washington
$60,590avg. a year
$29.13 an hour · 45,400 employed
Waiters and Waitresses in Washington earn an average of $60,590 a year. That is $20,530 (51%) more than the U.S. average of $40,060. The best-paying metro area is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $62,940.
$56,130Median pay
$29.13Average hourly
+49%Avg. pay since 2020
#2Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Washington metro areas
Average pay for waiters and waitresses by metro area. Swipe to see all 13.
126,530 jobs
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$62,940
$30.26 an hour
21,370 jobs
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA
$61,770
$29.70 an hour
31,410 jobs
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
$59,860
$28.78 an hour
41,450 jobs
Bellingham, WA
$59,820
$28.76 an hour
51,510 jobs
Kennewick-Richland, WA
$58,600
$28.17 an hour
6830 jobs
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA
$58,410
$28.08 an hour
7960 jobs
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA
$58,400
$28.08 an hour
8340 jobs
Walla Walla, WA
$58,210
$27.99 an hour
9410 jobs
Longview-Kelso, WA
$57,990
$27.88 an hour
1013,910 jobs
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
$56,130
$26.99 an hour
113,420 jobs
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
$55,270
$26.57 an hour
121,000 jobs
Yakima, WA
$53,650
$25.79 an hour
13310 jobs
Lewiston, ID-WA
$41,270
$19.84 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 Washington, charted
Pay over time
Washington, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Washington waiters and waitresses work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Washington highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $31k$31k–$38k$38k–$45k$45k+Washington
Washington vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $40,060 | $19.26 |
| Washington | $60,590 | $29.13 |
| Oregon | $52,400 | $25.19 |
| Idaho | $35,320 | $16.98 |
Related jobs in Washington
Average pay, Washington, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Washington?
The average is $60,590 a year, and the median is $56,130. That is $20,530 (51%) more than the U.S. average of $40,060.
What is the hourly wage in Washington?
$29.13 an hour on average; the median is $26.98.
Where in Washington do they earn the most?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($62,940), followed by Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA ($61,770). The lowest average among 13 metro areas with data is Lewiston, ID-WA ($41,270).
How does Washington rank?
Washington ranks #2 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.