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Waiters and Waitresses salary in New Orleans, LA

Waiters and Waitresses in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan area earn a median of $16,640 a year, an average of $24,030. About 10,050 people work in this occupation there. Figures are from the May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS).

Waiters and Waitresses pay at a glance

Annual median wage
$16,640
Half earn more, half earn less
Annual mean wage
$24,030
Pulled up by top earners
10th percentile
$15,080
Bottom of the range
90th percentile
$42,410
Top of the range
People employed
10,050
In New Orleans metro area
Rent share of median wage
87.3%
Median rent ÷ median wage

What this wage buys in New Orleans

Rent from the ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates, compared with the wage above

Median gross rent
$1,211
per month, in New Orleans, LA
Income needed for median rent
$48,400
Keeps rent at 30% of gross pay
Median waiters and waitresses wage
$16,640
65.6% below income needed for median rent
Rent as share of this wage
87.3%
12 months rent ÷ median wage
City median household income
$55,339
All households, not one occupation

Occupations are not paid the same everywhere, and this page does not explain why. It reports what the survey measured for the New Orleans area. Read the New Orleans, LA cost of living page for rent, income and the price level, or the methodology for how the numbers are compiled.

Waiters and Waitresses pay in other cities

Median annual wage, same occupation, same survey

Cleveland, OH
+117.9%
Median $36,260
Mean $41,010
Employed 14,120
Aurora, CO
+138.3%
Median $39,650
Mean $51,870
Employed 20,750
Tampa, FL
+122.8%
Median $37,070
Mean $44,090
Employed 25,280
Arlington, TX
+45.2%
Median $24,160
Mean $30,530
Employed 53,460
Wichita, KS
+124.2%
Median $37,300
Mean $41,120
Employed 4,570
Urban Honolulu, HI
+262.1%
Median $60,250
Mean $61,880
Employed 8,550
Anaheim, CA
+115.4%
Median $35,850
Mean $42,640
Employed 85,210
Bakersfield, CA
+106.2%
Median $34,320
Mean $41,180
Employed 2,920

See waiters and waitresses pay in every covered city.

Take-home pay calculator

Estimate your net pay after federal, state, and FICA taxes. Adjust filing status and allowances for your situation.

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Gross annual income $16,640 / year
$16,640
Federal income tax 2024 brackets, Single filing
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State income tax Louisiana (LA)
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FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.65% up to wage base
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Pre-tax deductions 401(k), HSA, etc.
$0
Take-home pay (annual) After all taxes
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Take-home per paycheck Monthly
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Effective tax rate Total tax ÷ gross income
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Estimates use 2024 federal tax brackets, FICA rates (6.2% SS up to $168,600, 1.45% Medicare + 0.9% >$200k), and state rates from Tax Foundation. Does not include local taxes, AMT, or tax credits. Consult a tax professional for actual liability.

Definitions used on this page

Annual median wage
The wage that half of the people in this occupation earn more than and half earn less than, for one year of work.
Annual mean wage
The average of all reported wages. It is higher than the median when a few very high earners pull it up.
Percentiles
The 10th percentile is the wage below which 10% of workers fall; the 90th is the wage above which only 10% rise. The gap between them shows how wide the pay range is.
Employment
The estimated number of jobs in this occupation in the metropolitan area, not the number of residents who hold it.

Sources and limits

Wages describe the metropolitan area, while rent and income describe the city boundaries. The two areas do not cover exactly the same ground. Wages are also averaged across a year and across every industry, so a specific employer can differ widely from the median shown here.