Salary comparison
Waiters and Waitresses: Boulder vs Olympia
Olympia, WA pays about 6.3% more for waiters and waitresses on paper — $53,000 vs $49,870. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Olympia comes out ahead by $3,130 a year in real buying power.
Boulder, CO
$49,870
$35,360
$71,880
$23.97
100
$49,870/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Olympia, WA
$53,000
$45,630
$69,690
$25.48
100
$53,000/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $3,130 a year (6.3%) in favor of Olympia. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Boulder runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Olympia sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Olympia is the better deal by $3,130 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Boulder to Olympia for this role, the raise needs to beat 6.3% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do waiters and waitresses earn more, Boulder or Olympia?
Olympia pays $53,000 on median — about 6.3% more than Boulder ($49,870). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Olympia. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Olympia gives you roughly$53,000 of real buying power versus $49,870 in the other city.