Skip to main content
County Paycheck

Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Wisconsin

What Waiters and Waitresses earn in Wisconsin, labor market by labor market, and what is left after taxes and living costs in 6 counties.

Average in WI
$27,513
local median wages, weighted
Rank among states
26 of 36
published states
Workers in state
62,910
BLS employment estimate
Wage areas
2
6 counties

Pay by labor market in Wisconsin

Waiters and Waitresses pay by wage area in Wisconsin
Wage areaMedian wageTake-home payMargin per yearLargest county
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI$30,330$25,924$6,041Milwaukee County, WI
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$25,920$22,512−$1,775St. Croix County, WI

Counties ranked by what is left after the basics

Waiters and Waitresses in Wisconsin counties, by yearly margin
#CountyMedian wageTake-home payMargin per year
1Milwaukee County, WI$30,330$25,924$6,041
2Waukesha County, WI$30,330$25,924$6,041
3Washington County, WI$30,330$25,924$6,041
4Ozaukee County, WI$30,330$25,924$6,041
5St. Croix County, WI$25,920$22,512−$1,775
6Pierce County, WI$25,920$22,512−$1,775

Waiters and Waitresses pay in Wisconsin

The employment-weighted average of local median wages for Waiters and Waitresses in Wisconsin is $27,513, based on 62,910 workers. Among the 36 states with published data, that ranks number 26. The BLS national median for the occupation is $35,230, so Wisconsin averages 21.9% below it.

Inside Wisconsin, pay depends on the labor market. The highest local median is $30,330 in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI area and the lowest is $25,920 in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, a difference of $4,410 across 2 wage areas.

Cost of living for Waiters and Waitresses in Wisconsin

We compare 6 Wisconsin counties after federal, Social Security, Medicare and state taxes and the four basics: a one-bedroom rental, food, home energy and gasoline. Milwaukee County, WI leaves the largest yearly margin, $6,041. In Pierce County, WI the basics cost $1,775 more than take-home pay. The median wage covers all four basics in 4 of the 6 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 Wisconsin

How much do Waiters and Waitresses earn in Wisconsin?

The employment-weighted average of local median wages is $27,513, from $25,920 to $30,330 depending on the labor market.

Which Wisconsin county is best for Waiters and Waitresses?

Milwaukee County, WI leaves the largest yearly margin after taxes and the four basics ($6,041). Waukesha County, WI follows at $6,041.