Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Ohio
The median for waiters and waitresses in Ohio is $36,700 a year, somewhat above the national $35,230 (+4%); the state ranks 19th of 51 states by median. That is 26% less than the median across all occupations in Ohio ($49,380). Among neighbouring states, Michigan pays more (up to $37,760 in Michigan) and West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Indiana pay less (down to $28,480 in Indiana). Ohio employs 77,250 waiters and waitresses, 13.9 per 1,000 jobs, the 6th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.95 is close to the national share.
Ohio vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $11.45 | $13.94 | $17.65 | $23.16 | $30.64 | $20.28 | 77,250 | 13.92 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $23,820 | $28,990 | $36,700 | $48,170 | $63,740 | $42,190 | ||||
| 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
- 19th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 6th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.95
- Jobs per 1,000
- 13.92
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Ohio'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 Ohio
15 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Ohio 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | $18.03 | $37,490 | $24,370 | $63,250 | 15,900 | 14.39 | 0.99 |
| Lima, OH | $17.65 | $36,720 | $23,610 | $62,550 | 680 | 13.65 | 0.93 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $17.60 | $36,600 | $23,680 | $63,370 | 4,700 | 12.61 | 0.86 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $17.56 | $36,530 | $23,280 | $74,040 | 17,790 | 16.15 | 1.11 |
| Cleveland, OH | $17.43 | $36,260 | $24,220 | $76,600 | 14,120 | 13.69 | 0.94 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | $17.41 | $36,210 | $23,090 | $70,760 | 2,690 | 16.50 | 1.13 |
| Akron, OH | $17.38 | $36,150 | $23,780 | $61,290 | 4,680 | 14.65 | 1.00 |
| Toledo, OH | $17.37 | $36,140 | $23,590 | $60,740 | 4,600 | 15.79 | 1.08 |
| Springfield, OH | $17.34 | $36,060 | $23,210 | $58,980 | 560 | 12.25 | 0.84 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $17.23 | $35,840 | $22,260 | $60,860 | 500 | 13.80 | 0.94 |
| Mansfield, OH | $16.91 | $35,170 | $22,510 | $60,480 | 850 | 17.52 | 1.20 |
| Sandusky, OH | $16.64 | $34,610 | $23,770 | $61,370 | 1,400 | 28.03 | 1.92 |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | $16.30 | $33,910 | $22,260 | $59,480 | 2,580 | 16.14 | 1.11 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $14.78 | $30,740 | $20,890 | $59,480 | 880 | 15.21 | 1.04 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $14.75 | $30,690 | $18,200 | $59,010 | 1,720 | 12.23 | 0.84 |
| Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $17.20 | $35,780 | $22,840 | $59,720 | 1,980 | 14.54 | 1.00 |
| Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $16.95 | $35,250 | $23,330 | $60,170 | 2,190 | 13.43 | 0.92 |
| West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $16.79 | $34,920 | $22,990 | $59,060 | 2,660 | 10.66 | 0.73 |
| North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $16.70 | $34,730 | $23,030 | $59,540 | 2,820 | 11.43 | 0.78 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $17.65 | $36,700 | 77,250 | 0.95 |
| Indiana | $13.69 | $28,480 | 43,620 | 0.93 |
| Kentucky | $14.26 | $29,660 | 27,150 | 0.93 |
| Michigan | $18.16 | $37,760 | 65,090 | 1.01 |
| Pennsylvania | $16.68 | $34,690 | 82,300 | 0.93 |
| West Virginia | $17.01 | $35,380 | 8,600 | 0.84 |
See the national page for Waiters and Waitresses (every state ranked) and the Ohio 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 Ohio 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.