Career Outlook
Waiters and Waitresses
BLS employment projections 2024–2034 · SOC 35-3031
Projected Growth
-0.7%
2024–2034
Annual Openings
456,700
projected/year
Median Salary
$35K
annual (BLS 2025)
Current Employment
2,270,910
workers (2023)
The Waiters and Waitresses career outlook (SOC 35-3031) combines two separate BLS data products: Employment Projections for 2024-2034 trajectory, and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics from May 2025 for current pay. Projected employment change is -0.7% over the decade, which BLS classifies as declining versus the 5% all-occupations baseline. That places it 5.7 percentage points below the national average across all occupations. Annual openings combining growth, retirement replacement, and transfers are projected at 456,700 per year.
Current workforce size for this occupation stands at approximately 2,270,910 based on the BLS OEWS May 2025 count. Median pay sits at $35,230 per year ($16.94/hr/hour), with a 10th-to-90th percentile spread from $18,100 to $64,720 - enough range that the choice between entry and senior positioning can change total earnings by 2-3× over a career. Typical entry-level credential is No formal educational credential.
How to read these projections
Growth projections are directional indicators, not guarantees. BLS revises these every two years based on updated demographic, technology, and policy inputs, the 2024-2034 projections already factor in assumptions about AI adoption, remote-work normalization, demographic aging, energy transition, and post-pandemic industry shifts, but unforeseen disruptions (recessions, breakthrough technologies, policy changes) can reshape 5-year-out numbers. When treating this page as career-decision evidence, pair the growth percentage with annual openings (small occupations growing fast can still offer few actual entry points, while large occupations growing slowly can offer thousands of replacement opportunities), look at the percentile pay band to understand realistic entry and senior compensation, and check whether the credential requirements match your current educational investment. The "Similar Occupations" list below highlights adjacent SOC codes worth considering as comparison anchors or alternative pathways.
Job Growth Projection
-0.7%
Declining
vs. national average (5%)
-5.7% below
Entry Requirements
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
Work Experience Required
None
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Salary Data (BLS 2025)
| Percentile | Annual |
|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (Entry) | $18,100 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,750 |
| Median (50th) | $35,230 |
| 75th Percentile | $47,110 |
| 90th Percentile (Senior) | $64,720 |
| Mean (Average) | $40,060 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Waiters and Waitresses a growing field?
Waiters and Waitresses is projected to decline by 0.7% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. The national average for all occupations is about 5%.
What education is needed to become a Waiters and Waitresses?
The typical entry-level education requirement for Waiters and Waitresses is: No formal educational credential. Work experience required: None. On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training.
How many Waiters and Waitresses jobs will be available?
There are approximately 456,700 annual job openings projected for Waiters and Waitresses, which includes new positions due to growth plus openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
What is the median salary for a Waiters and Waitresses?
The median annual salary for Waiters and Waitresses is $35,230 ($16.94/hr), based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. Half of workers earn more and half earn less than this amount.
Similar Career Paths
Occupations in SOC major group 35 with comparable growth and entry requirements.
Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release). Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024–2034. Salary data: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation outlook figures are computed directly from the BLS Employment Projections program. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.