Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Maine
Waiters and Waitresses in Maine earn a median $43,370 a year, +23% against the national median of $35,230; they and rank 11th of 51 states by median. That is 16% less than the median across all occupations in Maine ($51,430). Neighbouring New Hampshire pays less, with a median of $38,430. Maine employs 9,090 waiters and waitresses, 14.2 per 1,000 jobs, the 43rd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.97 is close to the national share.
Maine vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Maine | Hourly | $14.66 | $15.80 | $20.85 | $30.25 | $39.87 | $24.65 | 9,090 | 14.19 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $30,490 | $32,860 | $43,370 | $62,910 | $82,930 | $51,260 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $8.70 | $13.34 | $16.94 | $22.65 | $31.12 | $19.26 | 2,270,910 | – | – |
| Annual | $18,100 | $27,750 | $35,230 | $47,110 | $64,720 | $40,060 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 11th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 43rd of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.97
- Jobs per 1,000
- 14.19
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Maine's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Maine
3 metropolitan areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas touching Maine publish a row for waiters and waitresses, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor, ME | $21.93 | $45,610 | $30,470 | $91,180 | 900 | 12.49 | 0.85 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $21.19 | $44,070 | $31,130 | $87,790 | 5,070 | 17.57 | 1.20 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $20.74 | $43,130 | $30,470 | $80,540 | 450 | 9.48 | 0.65 |
| Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $20.63 | $42,900 | $30,470 | $83,070 | 1,760 | 12.36 | 0.85 |
| Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area | $18.37 | $38,200 | $30,470 | $82,760 | 900 | 14.28 | 0.98 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | $20.85 | $43,370 | 9,090 | 0.97 |
| New Hampshire | $18.48 | $38,430 | 10,030 | 1.01 |
See the national page for Waiters and Waitresses (every state ranked) and the Maine wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Maine estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.