Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Massachusetts
The median for waiters and waitresses in Massachusetts is $38,460 a year, somewhat above the national $35,230 (+9%); the state ranks 12th of 51 states by median. That is 40% less than the median across all occupations in Massachusetts ($63,590). Among neighbouring states, Vermont and New York pay more (up to $59,140 in Vermont) and New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island pay less (down to $35,420 in Rhode Island). Massachusetts employs 54,670 waiters and waitresses, 15.0 per 1,000 jobs, the 14th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.03 is close to the national share.
Massachusetts vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $15.29 | $16.97 | $18.49 | $21.97 | $29.90 | $21.39 | 54,670 | 15.03 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $31,790 | $35,290 | $38,460 | $45,700 | $62,200 | $44,480 | ||||
| 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
- 12th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 14th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.03
- Jobs per 1,000
- 15.03
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Massachusetts'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 Massachusetts
7 metropolitan areas and 1 nonmetropolitan area touching Massachusetts 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $18.88 | $39,270 | $31,930 | $64,150 | 41,570 | 15.37 | 1.05 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $18.45 | $38,380 | $33,540 | $76,730 | 2,970 | 31.53 | 2.16 |
| Worcester, MA | $17.71 | $36,840 | $31,200 | $59,720 | 4,610 | 13.17 | 0.90 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $17.62 | $36,650 | $31,200 | $60,200 | 980 | 14.94 | 1.02 |
| Springfield, MA | $17.39 | $36,170 | $31,200 | $61,110 | 2,670 | 13.29 | 0.91 |
| Pittsfield, MA | $17.28 | $35,950 | $31,200 | $64,880 | 1,150 | 20.17 | 1.38 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $17.19 | $35,750 | $31,200 | $62,680 | 13,600 | 19.05 | 1.30 |
| Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | $18.61 | $38,700 | $32,150 | $73,550 | 840 | 20.22 | 1.38 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $18.49 | $38,460 | 54,670 | 1.03 |
| Connecticut | $18.16 | $37,770 | 22,370 | 0.90 |
| New Hampshire | $18.48 | $38,430 | 10,030 | 1.01 |
| New York | $22.61 | $47,020 | 142,940 | 1.01 |
| Rhode Island | $17.03 | $35,420 | 10,160 | 1.39 |
| Vermont | $28.43 | $59,140 | 4,040 | 0.91 |
See the national page for Waiters and Waitresses (every state ranked) and the Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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.