Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, waiters and waitresses earn a median $17,910 a year, well below the national median of $35,230 (−49%); the state ranks 50th of 51 states by median. That is 61% less than the median across all occupations in Oklahoma ($45,600). Every neighbouring state pays more: Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas range from $23,240 in Texas to $44,860 in Colorado. Oklahoma employs 27,000 waiters and waitresses, 15.8 per 1,000 jobs, the 28th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.08 is close to the national share.
Oklahoma vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Oklahoma | Hourly | $7.32 | $7.96 | $8.61 | $13.68 | $22.90 | $12.44 | 27,000 | 15.81 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $15,230 | $16,550 | $17,910 | $28,450 | $47,630 | $25,870 | ||||
| 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
- 50th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 28th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.08
- Jobs per 1,000
- 15.81
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Oklahoma'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 Oklahoma
5 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Oklahoma 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | $11.39 | $23,680 | $22,880 | $38,090 | 1,410 | 14.80 | 1.01 |
| Tulsa, OK | $8.82 | $18,350 | $16,200 | $48,100 | 7,460 | 16.27 | 1.11 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $8.75 | $18,200 | $15,230 | $59,150 | 11,560 | 17.06 | 1.17 |
| Lawton, OK | $8.25 | $17,150 | $15,080 | $40,450 | 700 | 16.36 | 1.12 |
| Enid, OK | $8.01 | $16,650 | $15,080 | $45,020 | 390 | 16.81 | 1.15 |
| Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $8.20 | $17,060 | $15,080 | $28,790 | 1,670 | 14.20 | 0.97 |
| Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $8.18 | $17,020 | $15,080 | $37,990 | 1,370 | 14.08 | 0.96 |
| Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $8.17 | $16,990 | $15,440 | $37,750 | 2,910 | 15.61 | 1.07 |
| Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $8.08 | $16,810 | $15,080 | $31,410 | 760 | 12.22 | 0.84 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Waiters and Waitresses (every state ranked) and the Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma 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.