Entry Level Restaurant Server Salary
$12.5K - $16K
8% of jobs
$16K - $19.5K
9% of jobs
$21.4K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$19.5K - $23K
16% of jobs
$23K - $26.5K
12% of jobs
The median wage is $27.9K / yr.
$26.5K - $30K
13% of jobs
$32.7K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$30K - $33.5K
22% of jobs
$33.5K - $37K
9% of jobs
$37K - $40.5K
5% of jobs
$40.5K - $44K
3% of jobs
$44K - $47.5K
1% of jobs
$47.5K - $51K
2% of jobs
$12.5K
$28K
$49.5K
$28,176
/year
$13.55
/hour
Entry Level Restaurant Server Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$28,176
Columbus
Ohio
$27,215
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How much does an Entry Level Restaurant Server make?
As of Aug 8, 2026, the average annual pay for an Entry Level Restaurant Server in the United States is $28,176 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $13.55 an hour. This is the equivalent of $541/week or $2,348/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $49,500 and as low as $12,500, the majority of Entry Level Restaurant Server salaries currently range between $20,000 (25th percentile) to $32,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $39,500 annually across the United States. The average pay range for an Entry Level Restaurant Server varies greatly (by as much as 12000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.
An Entry Level Restaurant Server in your area makes on average $27,215 per year, or $961 (3.411%) less than the national average annual salary of $28,176. Ohio ranks number 43 out of 50 states nationwide for Entry Level Restaurant Server salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Entry Level Restaurant Server jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as an Entry Level Restaurant Server on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Entry Level Restaurant Server Jobs
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Entry Level Restaurant Server job is above the national average. Topping the list is Kentville, NS, , with Whitehorse, YT, and Carcross, YT, close behind in the second and third positions. Carcross, YT, beats the national average by $15,443 (54.8%), and Kentville, NS, furthers that trend with another $15,748 (55.9%) above the $28,176 average.
With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as an Entry Level Restaurant Server appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 3% between Kentville, NS, and Courtenay, BC, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for an Entry Level Restaurant Server role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Kentville, NS | $43,924 | $21.12 |
Whitehorse, YT | $43,645 | $20.98 |
Carcross, YT | $43,619 | $20.97 |
Haines Junction, YT | $43,470 | $20.90 |
North Cowichan, BC | $43,342 | $20.84 |
Duncan, BC | $43,176 | $20.76 |
Oak Bay, BC | $43,097 | $20.72 |
Victoria, BC | $42,914 | $20.63 |
Alberton, PE | $42,514 | $20.44 |
Courtenay, BC | $42,400 | $20.38 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Entry Level Restaurant Server Jobs in the U.S.
We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the Entry Level Restaurant Server category.
For example Dining Room Manager jobs pay as much as $23,642 (83.9%) more than the average Entry Level Restaurant Server salary of $28,176. If you're qualified, finding work as an Dining Room Manager may help you make more money than that of the average Entry Level Restaurant Server position.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Dining Room Manager | $51,818 | $24.91 |
Back Server | $31,808 | $15.29 |
Food And Beverage Server | $31,201 | $15.00 |
Counter Server | $30,679 | $14.75 |
Restaurant Server | $28,176 | $13.55 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
