Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, waiters and waitresses earn a median $29,670 a year, well below the national median of $35,230 (−16%); the state ranks 32nd of 51 states by median. That is 41% less than the median across all occupations in Wisconsin ($50,270). Among neighbouring states, Michigan and Illinois pay more (up to $37,760 in Michigan) and Minnesota and Iowa pay less (down to $21,000 in Iowa). Wisconsin employs 36,220 waiters and waitresses, 12.3 per 1,000 jobs, the 24th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.84 is close to the national share.
Wisconsin vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $8.09 | $10.10 | $14.26 | $20.74 | $29.70 | $16.62 | 36,220 | 12.31 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $16,830 | $21,000 | $29,670 | $43,150 | $61,770 | $34,570 | ||||
| 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
- 32nd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 24th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.84
- Jobs per 1,000
- 12.31
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Wisconsin'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 Wisconsin
15 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Wisconsin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | $14.86 | $30,910 | $18,120 | $77,900 | 5,130 | 12.57 | 0.86 |
| Appleton, WI | $14.60 | $30,370 | $17,270 | $64,690 | 1,490 | 11.96 | 0.82 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $14.58 | $30,330 | $17,920 | $61,890 | 10,020 | 12.20 | 0.84 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $14.43 | $30,020 | $17,190 | $61,010 | 850 | 11.20 | 0.77 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $14.41 | $29,980 | $16,480 | $63,450 | 640 | 10.55 | 0.72 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $14.35 | $29,840 | $16,310 | $62,640 | 950 | 10.10 | 0.69 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $14.29 | $29,720 | $16,030 | $62,830 | 1,160 | 13.44 | 0.92 |
| Green Bay, WI | $14.23 | $29,610 | $17,050 | $60,310 | 2,170 | 12.46 | 0.85 |
| Kenosha, WI | $14.17 | $29,480 | $17,160 | $61,830 | 960 | 12.70 | 0.87 |
| Wausau, WI | $13.97 | $29,060 | $16,800 | $60,420 | 720 | 10.37 | 0.71 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | $13.94 | $28,990 | $16,870 | $61,050 | 820 | 11.73 | 0.80 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | $13.93 | $28,980 | $16,160 | $59,780 | 430 | 9.71 | 0.66 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $13.64 | $28,380 | $16,280 | $59,390 | 1,270 | 15.03 | 1.03 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $12.46 | $25,920 | $23,260 | $43,280 | 25,620 | 13.13 | 0.90 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $11.13 | $23,150 | $23,150 | $39,570 | 2,100 | 16.87 | 1.15 |
| Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $14.02 | $29,160 | $16,640 | $60,560 | 620 | 12.83 | 0.88 |
| South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $13.83 | $28,770 | $17,030 | $57,230 | 3,470 | 16.47 | 1.13 |
| Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $11.41 | $23,730 | $16,500 | $60,560 | 1,520 | 11.91 | 0.82 |
| Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $10.23 | $21,270 | $16,700 | $48,470 | 2,970 | 15.14 | 1.04 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Waiters and Waitresses (every state ranked) and the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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.