Waiters and Waitresses pay in Wisconsin
$34,570avg. a year
$16.62 an hour · 36,220 employed
Waiters and Waitresses in Wisconsin earn an average of $34,570 a year. That is $5,490 (14%) less than the U.S. average of $40,060. The best-paying metro area is Madison, WI at $38,450.
$29,670Median pay
$16.62Average hourly
+49%Avg. pay since 2020
#35Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Wisconsin metro areas
Average pay for waiters and waitresses by metro area. Swipe to see all 15.
15,130 jobs
Madison, WI
$38,450
$18.49 an hour
21,490 jobs
Appleton, WI
$36,600
$17.60 an hour
3640 jobs
Sheboygan, WI
$36,160
$17.39 an hour
4950 jobs
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
$35,970
$17.29 an hour
51,160 jobs
Eau Claire, WI
$35,700
$17.17 an hour
610,020 jobs
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
$35,250
$16.95 an hour
7850 jobs
Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI
$35,200
$16.92 an hour
8960 jobs
Kenosha, WI
$34,980
$16.82 an hour
9720 jobs
Wausau, WI
$34,420
$16.55 an hour
10820 jobs
Janesville-Beloit, WI
$34,280
$16.48 an hour
112,170 jobs
Green Bay, WI
$34,140
$16.41 an hour
12430 jobs
Fond du Lac, WI
$33,040
$15.88 an hour
131,270 jobs
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
$32,770
$15.76 an hour
1425,620 jobs
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
$31,300
$15.05 an hour
152,100 jobs
Duluth, MN-WI
$28,810
$13.85 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 Wisconsin, charted
Pay over time
Wisconsin, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Wisconsin waiters and waitresses work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Wisconsin highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $31k$31k–$38k$38k–$45k$45k+Wisconsin
Wisconsin vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $40,060 | $19.26 |
| Wisconsin | $34,570 | $16.62 |
| Michigan | $44,910 | $21.59 |
| Illinois | $35,610 | $17.12 |
| Minnesota | $30,060 | $14.45 |
| Iowa | $26,940 | $12.95 |
Related jobs in Wisconsin
Average pay, Wisconsin, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Wisconsin?
The average is $34,570 a year, and the median is $29,670. That is $5,490 (14%) less than the U.S. average of $40,060.
What is the hourly wage in Wisconsin?
$16.62 an hour on average; the median is $14.26.
Where in Wisconsin do they earn the most?
Madison, WI ($38,450), followed by Appleton, WI ($36,600). The lowest average among 15 metro areas with data is Duluth, MN-WI ($28,810).
How does Wisconsin rank?
Wisconsin ranks #35 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.