Waiters and Waitresses pay in Florida
$41,840avg. a year
$20.12 an hour · 207,180 employed
Waiters and Waitresses in Florida earn an average of $41,840 a year. That is $1,780 (4%) more than the U.S. average of $40,060. The best-paying metro area is Naples-Marco Island, FL at $44,610.
$36,150Median pay
$20.12Average hourly
+56%Avg. pay since 2020
#22Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Florida metro areas
Average pay for waiters and waitresses by metro area. Swipe to see all 22.
16,610 jobs
Naples-Marco Island, FL
$44,610
$21.45 an hour
225,280 jobs
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
$44,090
$21.20 an hour
34,430 jobs
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
$43,640
$20.98 an hour
41,170 jobs
Wildwood-The Villages, FL
$42,850
$20.60 an hour
513,140 jobs
Jacksonville, FL
$42,480
$20.42 an hour
67,980 jobs
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
$42,470
$20.42 an hour
71,780 jobs
Punta Gorda, FL
$42,270
$20.32 an hour
89,200 jobs
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL
$42,190
$20.29 an hour
936,820 jobs
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
$41,420
$19.91 an hour
104,050 jobs
Port St. Lucie, FL
$41,310
$19.86 an hour
115,080 jobs
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
$41,250
$19.83 an hour
1257,830 jobs
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
$41,120
$19.77 an hour
131,560 jobs
Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL
$40,880
$19.66 an hour
145,920 jobs
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL
$40,780
$19.61 an hour
152,520 jobs
Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL
$40,650
$19.55 an hour
162,110 jobs
Ocala, FL
$40,170
$19.31 an hour
174,260 jobs
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL
$40,150
$19.30 an hour
183,730 jobs
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
$39,980
$19.22 an hour
192,540 jobs
Gainesville, FL
$39,920
$19.19 an hour
20560 jobs
Sebring, FL
$39,740
$19.11 an hour
211,020 jobs
Homosassa Springs, FL
$39,680
$19.08 an hour
222,600 jobs
Tallahassee, FL
$38,900
$18.70 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Waiters and Waitresses pay in Florida, charted
Pay over time
Florida, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Florida waiters and waitresses work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Florida highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $31k$31k–$38k$38k–$45k$45k+Florida
Florida vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $40,060 | $19.26 |
| Florida | $41,840 | $20.12 |
| Alabama | $27,200 | $13.08 |
| Georgia | $26,610 | $12.80 |
Related jobs in Florida
Average pay, Florida, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Florida?
The average is $41,840 a year, and the median is $36,150. That is $1,780 (4%) more than the U.S. average of $40,060.
What is the hourly wage in Florida?
$20.12 an hour on average; the median is $17.38.
Where in Florida do they earn the most?
Naples-Marco Island, FL ($44,610), followed by Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($44,090). The lowest average among 22 metro areas with data is Tallahassee, FL ($38,900).
How does Florida rank?
Florida ranks #22 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 35-3031. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national waiters and waitresses page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.