LocalSalaryHub Salary Report
Waiters and Waitresses in San Francisco, CA · Generated August 17, 2026
Waiters and Waitresses Salary in San Francisco, CA $38,860/yr
$38,860
Mean: $46,460
~$30,311 est. take-home
$18.69
Based on 2,080 hrs/yr
100
100 = national avg
Difficult
Affordability score: 16/100
$172/mo
6%
Salary Distribution
Where the median falls between the 25th and 75th percentile.
25th %
$36,880
Median
$38,860
75th %
$43,310
Median is in the 31th percentile of the typical range
Waiters and Waitresses in other CA cities
Compare the same occupation across cities in CA.
About Waiters and Waitresses salaries in San Francisco, CA
Waiters and Waitresses in San Francisco, CA earn a median of $38,860 per year, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data. The mean salary is $46,460, which tends to skew higher because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
Most waiters and waitresses in this area earn between $36,880 and $43,310. Where you land depends on experience, employer type, and whether you have in-demand specializations.
That works out to roughly $18.69 per hour assuming a standard 2,080-hour work year. Actual hourly pay may differ for part-time or contract roles.
Career Outlook
3% growth. Fine dining still values experienced servers who know wine pairings and can manage large parties. The casual dining space is shifting toward counter-service models with smaller waitstaff teams.
Worth knowing: At upscale restaurants in major cities, servers can clear $60K–$80K annually with tips. The variability is huge though — a slow Tuesday and a packed Saturday are very different paydays.
Waiters and Waitresses Jobs in San Francisco, CA
Median: $38,860/yr — browse openings that fit.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary for a waiters and waitresses in San Francisco?▾
The median — where half earn more and half earn less — is $38,860. The average (mean) is $46,460, which is higher because top earners pull it up.
How much does a waiters and waitresses make per hour in San Francisco?▾
About $18.69/hour, based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. Part-time or overtime hours will change the actual rate.
What is the salary range for waiters and waitresses in San Francisco?▾
The middle 50% earn between $36,880 and $43,310. Below $36,880 is typically entry-level; above $43,310 usually means significant experience or specialized skills.
Salary Conversion Table
How does $38,860 per year break down across different time periods?
| Period | Gross | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly | $38,860 | $30,311 |
| Monthly | $3,238 | $2,526 |
| Biweekly | $1,495 | $1,166 |
| Weekly | $747 | $583 |
| Hourly (40h/wk) | $18.69 | $14.57 |
| Hourly (35h/wk) | $21.35 | $16.65 |
| Hourly (30h/wk) | $24.91 | $19.43 |
| Daily (8h) | $149 | $117 |
Take-home estimates use an effective tax rate of 22%. Actual amounts vary by filing status, deductions, and state tax.
Waiters and Waitresses: Highest-Paying Cities in the U.S.
Top 10 cities nationwide for waiters and waitresses, based on BLS median salary data.
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See more salary data
More pages tied to this occupation and region.
- Waiters and Waitresses salaries nationwide — the national median and the highest-paying metros for waiters and waitresses across all states.
- All CA salary data — every occupation we cover in CA, ranked by median pay, plus the cities that pay the most.
- Waiters and Waitresses in Kahului, HI — the top-paying city for waiters and waitresses in our dataset, in case you are weighing a move out of San Francisco.
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers salary overview — a closely related role (same SOC major group) with a national median of $40,976.