Waiters and Waitresses in Alabama

Want to work in Alabama as a Waiter or Waitress? Read this first!

You’re in luck! Jobs for Waiters and Waitresses in Alabama are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.

• Projected employment for Waiters and Waitresses in Alabama is growing faster than average.

• Waiters and Waitresses in Alabama earn lower salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

How Many Waiters and Waitresses Work in Alabama?

There were approximately 34,020 workers employed as Waiters and Waitresses in this state in 2018.

There were 32,570 Waiters and Waitresses employed in this state in 2017.

That’s growth of 1,450 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

The amount of Waiters and Waitresses working in the state is similar to the average state.

Job Projections for Alabama

Jobs for Waiters and Waitresses in this state are growing at a rate of 8.2% which is faster than the nationwide estimated projection of 7.0%.

Alabama Annual Job Openings

The BLS estimates there will be 6,620 annual job openings, and 35,220 total jobs in 2026 for Waiters and Waitresses in this state.

Nationwide, the prediction is 522,700 annual jobs and 2,783,000 total jobs in 2026.

What do Waiters and Waitresses Make in Alabama?

In 2018 wages for Waiters and Waitresses ranged from $16,210 to $27,390 with $18,480 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $7.79 to $13.17. The median hourly rate was $8.88.

In 2017 the median pay for this field was $8.96 an hour.

The hourly rate declined by $0.08.

The median salary in Alabama is higher than the nationwide median salary.

Explore Best Ranked Schools for You

Top Alabama Metros for Waiters and Waitresses

The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Waiters and Waitresses.

Metro	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Birmingham-Hoover, AL	8,690	$18,760
Mobile, AL	3,420	$18,060
Huntsville, AL	3,380	$18,150
Montgomery, AL	2,710	$18,080
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL	2,560	$18,770
Tuscaloosa, AL	2,090	$18,480
Columbus, GA-AL	2,020	$18,730
Auburn-Opelika, AL	1,570	$19,380
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL	1,310	$19,230
Dothan, AL	1,250	$18,640
Decatur, AL	1,040	$18,500
Gadsden, AL	710	$18,870
Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL	710	$19,450

Top States for Waiters and Waitresses Employment

The table below shows the states where most Waiters and Waitresses work.

State	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
California	286,930	$25,090
Texas	216,670	$19,210
Florida	211,860	$19,620
New York	167,250	$28,410
Pennsylvania	98,970	$22,850
Ohio	94,720	$19,490
Illinois	83,910	$19,410
North Carolina	82,600	$19,140
Georgia	81,920	$18,500
Michigan	80,880	$20,020
Virginia	72,420	$20,030
Massachusetts	66,250	$27,020
New Jersey	58,820	$25,480
Washington	54,770	$27,720
Tennessee	53,200	$18,290
Minnesota	50,490	$22,360
Colorado	50,390	$21,230
Indiana	49,530	$19,210
Arizona	48,830	$23,370
Missouri	48,060	$19,080

Below are the states where Waiters and Waitresses get paid the most:

State	Annual Median Salary
Hawaii	$48,860
Vermont	$31,880
District of Columbia	$30,240
New York	$28,410
Washington	$27,720
Massachusetts	$27,020
New Jersey	$25,480
California	$25,090
Oregon	$24,130
Rhode Island	$23,980

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online

More about our data sources and methodologies.