BLS figures put the median pay for waiters and waitresses in Albany, NY, at $48,980 a year. It runs 57% above the national median of $31,250 for this occupation — pay here is notably stronger than the U.S. average. The middle 50% land between $34,640 and $63,920 — a 29,280 range that reflects differences in seniority, employer type, and specialization. The average (mean) of $54,580 comes in higher than the median, which usually means a share of high earners is pulling the average up. The catch: Albany is roughly in line with the national cost of living (cost index 100 against a 100 baseline), so that headline number buys less than it would elsewhere. On an hourly basis that is about $23.55, useful for comparing contract or part-time offers.

For context, the national median for waiters and waitresses across all U.S. metros in our data is $31,250.