Home / Apprenticeships / Occupations / Waiters and Waitresses
Waiters and Waitresses: apprenticeship hours and pay
O*NET-SOC 35-3031.00
Approved titles
1
RAPIDS codes
Shortest term
2,000 h
minimum on the list
National median pay
$35,230
a year, BLS May 2025
Jobs nationally
2,270,910
BLS May 2025
Approved apprenticeship titles
- Training approaches
- competency-based, time-based
- Shortest approved term
- 2,000 hours, Waiter (competency-based)
- State medians
- $62,390 in Hawaii to $15,080 in Louisiana (54 states publish one)
| Title | RAPIDS code | Approach and term |
|---|---|---|
| Waiter | 4023 | Competency-Based: 2,000 hours Time-Based: 2,000 hours |
What waiters and waitresses earn, by state
| State | Median pay | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $62,390 | $29.99 | 14,090 |
| Vermont | $59,140 | $28.43 | 4,040 |
| Washington | $56,130 | $26.98 | 45,400 |
| Oregon | $48,410 | $23.27 | 23,040 |
| District of Columbia | $47,850 | $23.01 | 11,530 |
| New York | $47,020 | $22.61 | 142,940 |
| New Jersey | $44,960 | $21.62 | 55,800 |
| Colorado | $44,860 | $21.57 | 40,680 |
| Virginia | $44,760 | $21.52 | 59,370 |
| Arizona | $43,950 | $21.13 | 55,950 |
| Maine | $43,370 | $20.85 | 9,090 |
| Massachusetts | $38,460 | $18.49 | 54,670 |
| New Hampshire | $38,430 | $18.48 | 10,030 |
| Connecticut | $37,770 | $18.16 | 22,370 |
| Michigan | $37,760 | $18.16 | 65,090 |
| New Mexico | $36,920 | $17.75 | 12,740 |
| Delaware | $36,880 | $17.73 | 7,580 |
| Maryland | $36,750 | $17.67 | 38,120 |
| Ohio | $36,700 | $17.65 | 77,250 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | $36,340 | $17.47 | 690 |
| Florida | $36,150 | $17.38 | 207,180 |
| Kansas | $36,120 | $17.36 | 19,480 |
| California | $36,080 | $17.35 | 229,970 |
| Rhode Island | $35,420 | $17.03 | 10,160 |
| West Virginia | $35,380 | $17.01 | 8,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $34,690 | $16.68 | 82,300 |
| Nebraska | $33,770 | $16.24 | 13,310 |
| North Carolina | $32,150 | $15.46 | 71,940 |
| Illinois | $31,200 | $15.00 | 72,900 |
| Utah | $31,150 | $14.98 | 17,790 |
| North Dakota | $30,890 | $14.85 | 5,250 |
| Idaho | $30,050 | $14.45 | 10,950 |
| Wisconsin | $29,670 | $14.26 | 36,220 |
| Kentucky | $29,660 | $14.26 | 27,150 |
| Missouri | $29,400 | $14.13 | 41,640 |
| South Dakota | $28,990 | $13.94 | 7,350 |
| Indiana | $28,480 | $13.69 | 43,620 |
| Tennessee | $27,760 | $13.35 | 52,120 |
| Alabama | $26,840 | $12.91 | 28,760 |
| Nevada | $26,410 | $12.70 | 42,520 |
| Alaska | $26,310 | $12.65 | 3,830 |
| Minnesota | $25,470 | $12.25 | 37,630 |
| Arkansas | $24,680 | $11.86 | 17,880 |
| Wyoming | $23,920 | $11.50 | 3,620 |
| Montana | $23,370 | $11.23 | 7,200 |
| Texas | $23,240 | $11.18 | 199,610 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,790 | $10.96 | 12,260 |
| Mississippi | $21,370 | $10.27 | 15,190 |
| Iowa | $21,000 | $10.10 | 22,410 |
| Guam | $20,320 | $9.77 | 1,550 |
| Georgia | $18,700 | $8.99 | 76,470 |
| South Carolina | $18,370 | $8.83 | 47,200 |
| Oklahoma | $17,910 | $8.61 | 27,000 |
| Louisiana | $15,080 | $7.25 | 33,870 |
Finding a program
How to find a sponsor that trains this title · Apprenticeship sponsors by state (25,633) · All approved occupations
- Approved titles and terms: apprenticeship.gov approved occupations list, Last-Modified October 8, 2026, read October 8, 2026.
- Pay and jobs: BLS OEWS, May 2025, all industries, read October 8, 2026.