Waiters and Waitresses salary
in Traverse City, MI
- Middle 50%
- $30,180–$59,010
- vs U.S. median
- +17%
- Metro rank
- #62 of 528
Waiters and Waitresses in the Traverse City, MI metro earn a median of $41,380 a year, based on BLS estimates for 1,610 jobs (May 2025). That is 17% above the U.S. median of $35,230 and 10% above the MI statewide median of $37,760. It ranks #62 of 528 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE1,610 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 MI metros
8 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $44,920 |
| Flint, MI | $44,030 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $42,930 |
| Bay City, MI | $40,500 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $40,230 |
| Jackson, MI | $39,920 |
| Saginaw, MI | $39,430 |
| Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $38,820 |
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RELATED JOBS IN TRAVERSE CITY
Questions
What is the average Waiters and Waitresses salary in Traverse City?
The BLS median is $41,380 a year (May 2025). Half of the 1,610 jobs pay between $30,180 and $59,010. The 10th percentile is $26,820 and the 90th is $64,020.
Is Traverse City a high-paying metro for Waiters and Waitresses?
That is 17% above the U.S. median of $35,230 and 10% above the MI statewide median of $37,760. It ranks #62 of 528 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Waiters and Waitresses make an hour in Traverse City?
About $19.89 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $41,380 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $14.51–$28.37 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.