Waiters and Waitresses salary
in Madison, WI
- Middle 50%
- $21,980–$48,120
- vs U.S. median
- -12%
- Metro rank
- #254 of 528
Waiters and Waitresses in the Madison, WI metro earn a median of $30,910 a year, based on BLS estimates for 5,130 jobs (May 2025). That is 12% below the U.S. median of $35,230 and 4% above the WI statewide median of $29,670. It ranks #254 of 528 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE5,130 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Waiters and Waitresses pay in other WI metros
8 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| Appleton, WI | $30,370 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $30,330 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $30,020 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $29,980 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $29,840 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $29,720 |
| Green Bay, WI | $29,610 |
| Kenosha, WI | $29,480 |
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RELATED JOBS IN MADISON
Questions
What is the average Waiters and Waitresses salary in Madison?
The BLS median is $30,910 a year (May 2025). Half of the 5,130 jobs pay between $21,980 and $48,120. The 10th percentile is $18,120 and the 90th is $77,900.
Is Madison a high-paying metro for Waiters and Waitresses?
That is 12% below the U.S. median of $35,230 and 4% above the WI statewide median of $29,670. It ranks #254 of 528 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Waiters and Waitresses make an hour in Madison?
About $14.86 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $30,910 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $10.57–$23.13 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.