Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in Colorado
Nonrestaurant food servers in Colorado earned a median of $38,900 a year ($18.70 an hour) and a mean of $40,920 in May 2025. The median is 10.0% above the U.S. median of $35,360, ranking 3rd of 53 states and territories, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $38,900
- Median hourly
- $18.70
- Mean annual
- $40,920
- Jobs on record
- 7,750
Grey needle: U.S. median, $35,360 a year.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Confirm any figure on bls.gov/oes. Latest BLS release: May 2025, published May 15, 2026; checked November 10, 2026.
How does Colorado compare on pay for nonrestaurant food servers?
Colorado ranks 3rd of 53 states and territories. New York is highest at $39,370, $470 more than the Colorado median.
| State | Rank | Median | Against U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 1 | $39,370 | +11% | 17,520 |
| California | 2 | $39,010 | +10% | 32,430 |
| Colorado | 3 | $38,900 | +10% | 7,750 |
| Washington | 4 | $38,870 | +10% | 8,050 |
| Alaska | 5 | $38,090 | +8% | 430 |
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025. Rank 1 is the highest median among 53 states and territories with a published figure. See every state.
Does Colorado pay go further after prices?
Prices in Colorado run 3.1% above the U.S. average, so the $38,900 median buys about what $37,748 buys at average U.S. prices, above the $35,360 U.S. median. On this measure Colorado ranks 5th of 51, down from 3rd before the adjustment.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. The adjustment divides pay by the state's price level.
Which areas in Colorado pay nonrestaurant food servers the most?
Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area is highest at $44,040, 13.2% above the Colorado median.
| Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $44,040 | 200 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $39,850 | 4,570 |
| Boulder, CO | $38,930 | 650 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $37,080 | 430 |
| Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $36,970 | 520 |
| Grand Junction, CO | $36,900 | 200 |
| Pueblo, CO | $36,860 | 140 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $36,690 | 770 |
| Greeley, CO | $36,570 | 180 |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $35,270 | 90 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Every area BLS lists for this job in Colorado is shown; an area that crosses state lines is listed under the first state in its BLS title.
How many nonrestaurant food servers work in Colorado?
BLS counts 7,750 jobs in Colorado, 2.6% of the 293,900 in the U.S. That is the 12th largest count among the 52 states and territories with a published figure. That is 2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in Colorado, a location quotient of 1.43: the occupation's share of local jobs is 1.43 times its national share, so it is more concentrated here than in the U.S. as a whole.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025 and national file.
How does the Colorado minimum wage compare with pay for nonrestaurant food servers?
The 10th-percentile hourly pay for nonrestaurant food servers in Colorado was $15.32 in May 2025, $0.16 above the $15.16 minimum wage that applies there now. The pay figure dates from May 2025 and the minimum wage is the current rate, so the two are not from the same date.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, State Minimum Wage Laws, updated 2026-11-05; BLS OEWS state file, May 2025, 10th-percentile hourly wage.
Related jobs in Colorado
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS state file, May 2025.