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Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Tennessee

What Waiters and Waitresses earn in Tennessee, labor market by labor market, and what is left after taxes and living costs in 26 counties.

Average in TN
$26,521
local median wages, weighted
Rank among states
31 of 41
published states
Workers in state
55,270
BLS employment estimate
Wage areas
3
26 counties

Pay by labor market in Tennessee

Waiters and Waitresses pay by wage area in Tennessee
Wage areaMedian wageTake-home payMargin per yearLargest county
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN$29,390$25,743−$652Davidson County, TN
Knoxville, TN$28,100$24,707$3,976Knox County, TN
Memphis, TN-MS-AR$24,550$21,792$905Shelby County, TN

Counties ranked by what is left after the basics

Waiters and Waitresses in Tennessee counties, by yearly margin
#CountyMedian wageTake-home payMargin per year
1Hickman County, TN$29,390$25,743$9,716
2Campbell County, TN$28,100$24,707$8,980
3Grainger County, TN$28,100$24,707$8,980
4Morgan County, TN$28,100$24,707$8,980
5Smith County, TN$29,390$25,743$8,636
6Macon County, TN$29,390$25,743$8,180
7Roane County, TN$28,100$24,707$7,768
8Knox County, TN$28,100$24,707$3,976
9Blount County, TN$28,100$24,707$3,976
10Anderson County, TN$28,100$24,707$3,976
11Loudon County, TN$28,100$24,707$3,976
12Union County, TN$28,100$24,707$3,976
13Maury County, TN$29,390$25,743$3,188
14Shelby County, TN$24,550$21,792$905
15Tipton County, TN$24,550$21,792$905
16Fayette County, TN$24,550$21,792$905
17Davidson County, TN$29,390$25,743−$652
18Rutherford County, TN$29,390$25,743−$652
19Williamson County, TN$29,390$25,743−$652
20Sumner County, TN$29,390$25,743−$652
21Wilson County, TN$29,390$25,743−$652
22Robertson County, TN$29,390$25,743−$652
23Dickson County, TN$29,390$25,743−$652
24Cheatham County, TN$29,390$25,743−$652
25Cannon County, TN$29,390$25,743−$652

Showing 25 of 26 counties. Every county page carries the full payslip.

Waiters and Waitresses pay in Tennessee

The employment-weighted average of local median wages for Waiters and Waitresses in Tennessee is $26,521, based on 55,270 workers. Among the 41 states with published data, that ranks number 31. The BLS national median for the occupation is $35,230, so Tennessee averages 24.7% below it.

Inside Tennessee, pay depends on the labor market. The highest local median is $29,390 in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN area and the lowest is $24,550 in Memphis, TN-MS-AR, a difference of $4,840 across 3 wage areas.

Cost of living for Waiters and Waitresses in Tennessee

We compare 26 Tennessee counties after federal, Social Security, Medicare and state taxes and the four basics: a one-bedroom rental, food, home energy and gasoline. Hickman County, TN leaves the largest yearly margin, $9,716. In Trousdale County, TN the basics cost $652 more than take-home pay. The median wage covers all four basics in 16 of the 26 counties.

Waiters and Waitresses in other states

The states with the highest average local median wages for Waiters and Waitresses are Washington ($54,839), Oregon ($50,502), New York ($47,178) and District of Columbia ($46,040).

Frequently asked questions: Waiters and Waitresses in Tennessee

How much do Waiters and Waitresses earn in Tennessee?

The employment-weighted average of local median wages is $26,521, from $24,550 to $29,390 depending on the labor market.

Which Tennessee county is best for Waiters and Waitresses?

Hickman County, TN leaves the largest yearly margin after taxes and the four basics ($9,716). Campbell County, TN follows at $8,980.