Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Tennessee
In Tennessee, waiters and waitresses earn a median $27,760 a year, well below the national median of $35,230 (−21%); the state ranks 37th of 51 states by median. That is 41% less than the median across all occupations in Tennessee ($47,380). Among neighbouring states, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky and Missouri pay more (up to $44,760 in Virginia) and Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Georgia pay less (down to $18,700 in Georgia). Tennessee employs 52,120 waiters and waitresses, 15.9 per 1,000 jobs, the 15th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.09 is close to the national share.
Tennessee vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $7.25 | $8.07 | $13.35 | $17.97 | $22.92 | $13.98 | 52,120 | 15.90 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $15,080 | $16,790 | $27,760 | $37,380 | $47,660 | $29,070 | ||||
| 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
- 37th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 15th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.09
- Jobs per 1,000
- 15.90
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Tennessee'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 Tennessee
10 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Tennessee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $14.13 | $29,390 | $15,080 | $50,050 | 19,490 | 17.73 | 1.21 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $13.56 | $28,210 | $15,080 | $48,990 | 1,800 | 15.03 | 1.03 |
| Knoxville, TN | $13.51 | $28,100 | $15,080 | $47,790 | 7,260 | 17.10 | 1.17 |
| Morristown, TN | $13.16 | $27,370 | $15,080 | $46,780 | 630 | 13.34 | 0.91 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $11.80 | $24,550 | $15,080 | $47,480 | 8,060 | 13.18 | 0.90 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $11.66 | $24,240 | $15,080 | $46,970 | 4,790 | 17.82 | 1.22 |
| Cleveland, TN | $11.20 | $23,300 | $15,080 | $45,660 | 720 | 16.73 | 1.15 |
| Johnson City, TN | $10.61 | $22,070 | $15,080 | $45,180 | 1,460 | 17.87 | 1.22 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $10.48 | $21,790 | $15,080 | $47,440 | 1,570 | 15.24 | 1.04 |
| Jackson, TN | $9.85 | $20,490 | $15,080 | $45,530 | 930 | 11.05 | 0.76 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $12.90 | $26,820 | $15,080 | $45,420 | 4,380 | 31.10 | 2.13 |
| North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $10.74 | $22,330 | $15,080 | $45,410 | 1,640 | 14.24 | 0.98 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $9.70 | $20,170 | $15,080 | $46,180 | 1,250 | 11.37 | 0.78 |
| West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $9.49 | $19,730 | $15,080 | $45,000 | 1,290 | 10.98 | 0.75 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $13.35 | $27,760 | 52,120 | 1.09 |
| Alabama | $12.91 | $26,840 | 28,760 | 0.93 |
| Arkansas | $11.86 | $24,680 | 17,880 | 0.94 |
| Georgia | $8.99 | $18,700 | 76,470 | 1.07 |
| Kentucky | $14.26 | $29,660 | 27,150 | 0.93 |
| Missouri | $14.13 | $29,400 | 41,640 | 0.97 |
| Mississippi | $10.27 | $21,370 | 15,190 | 0.89 |
| North Carolina | $15.46 | $32,150 | 71,940 | 1.00 |
| Virginia | $21.52 | $44,760 | 59,370 | 0.99 |
See the national page for Waiters and Waitresses (every state ranked) and the Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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.