District of Columbia · SOC 35-3031
Waiters and Waitresses in District of Columbia
State salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)
Geography used: wage and employment figures are BLS state estimates for District of Columbia; the comparison figure is the United States national estimate.
Median Salary
$47,850
per year in this state
+36% above
National Median
$35,230
per year nationally
Hourly Rate
$23.01/hr
median hourly
Employment
11,530
jobs in DC
Salary Range in District of Columbia
Annual Salary Distribution
What This Means for Waiters and Waitresses in District of Columbia
According to BLS OEWS state estimates, District of Columbia ranks #5 of 54 states and territories for Waiters and Waitresses pay, the top 9% nationally. Full pay-distribution context, including how District of Columbia compares to the national median, follows below.
This page captures the Waiters and Waitresses labor market inside District of Columbia using BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state estimates from the May 2025 release. Median annual pay lands at $47,850 ($23.01/hr per hour), while the state employs roughly 11,530 workers in this SOC code (35-3031). Relative to the national median of $35,230, the state estimate is +36% above. Explaining that difference would require separate evidence on industry, employer, prices, and worker mix.
Within District of Columbia, the full pay distribution is wider than the median alone suggests. Workers at the 10th percentile earn $36,400, the 25th earns $36,400, the 75th reaches $78,520, and the 90th hits $100,240. The upper boundary is roughly 2.8× the lower boundary. These bands combine workers across experience levels, credentials, employers, industries, schedules, and specialties; the percentile table does not isolate any one factor's effect.
Use this state-level view as one layer in your research stack, not the full picture. Drill into the specific BLS local wage area within District of Columbia where the job is located. A state estimate can differ substantially from a local-area estimate; this table does not establish why. Pair the wage here with state-specific cost of living (rent, taxes, energy, groceries) to see how far the paycheck actually goes. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. It excludes employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, and nonproduction bonuses, so compare those items separately when reviewing an offer.
Top Paying Jobs in District of Columbia
What this shows Bar width is each occupation's median wage relative to the top-paying job on this list. Hover or tap a row for its exact share of the leader and rank.
Small sample marks a row whose BLS estimate rests on fewer than 100 workers. It is still a published figure, but BLS reports more sampling error for cells this small: the median relative standard error of the mean wage is 3.9% under 100 workers against 2.3% at 100 or more (May 2025 state estimates). Small gaps in rank between neighbouring rows may not be meaningful.
Similar Occupations in District of Columbia
Other roles in the same SOC major group, priced for this state's labor market.
Other states with similar Waiters and Waitresses pay or employment
Two OEWS peer sets for this SOC code outside District of Columbia. Same-major-group cards above stay in-state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors.
Similar median pay
Nearest state medians ($47,850 here).
- Waiters and Waitresses in Oregon · $48,410
- Waiters and Waitresses in New York · $47,020
- Waiters and Waitresses in New Jersey · $44,960
- Waiters and Waitresses in Colorado · $44,860
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (11,530 jobs here; floor 1,000).
- Waiters and Waitresses in Idaho · 10,950
- Waiters and Waitresses in Puerto Rico · 12,260
- Waiters and Waitresses in New Mexico · 12,740
- Waiters and Waitresses in Rhode Island · 10,160
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS state median annual wage and reported employment for SOC 35-3031. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Related federal data for District of Columbia
📊 BLS OEWS - District of Columbia
Federal wage estimates by occupation
📈 BLS Employment Projections
10-year occupation growth, national
🏢 BLS QCEW state series
Quarterly employment and wage program (BLS)
🏛️ OPM FedScope
Federal workforce data by agency and location
⚖️ OSHA Establishment Search
Federal workplace-safety records
🏠 HUD Fair Market Rents
Federal area-level rent benchmarks
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Waiters and Waitresses make in District of Columbia?
The median annual salary for Waiters and Waitresses in District of Columbia is $47,850 (+36% above national avg). Pay ranges from $36,400 (10th percentile) to $100,240 (90th percentile).
How many Waiters and Waitresses work in District of Columbia?
There are approximately 11,530 Waiters and Waitresses employed in District of Columbia, according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data.
What is the hourly rate for Waiters and Waitresses in District of Columbia?
The median hourly wage for Waiters and Waitresses in District of Columbia is $23.01/hr.
Where does WageDex get its salary data?
All salary and employment data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. This occupation's District of Columbia figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.