Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay range in Philadelphia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,130 a year or less, while the top 10% make $44,410 or more. The middle half of food servers, nonrestaurant in Philadelphia earn between $31,060 and $37,440.
- $29K10th
- $31K25th
- $33KMedian
- $37K75th
- $44K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $34,650 | $2,888 | $16.66 |
| Median | $33,300 | $2,775 | $16.01 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,060 | $2,588 | $14.93 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $37,440 | $3,120 | $18.00 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay in Philadelphia vs. Pennsylvania and the U.S.
Food servers, nonrestaurant in Philadelphia earn about the same as the Pennsylvania average ($33,720) and 4% less than the U.S. average ($36,140). At the median the gap is -6% against the U.S. median of $35,360.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | $34,650 | $33,300 | $29,130 | $44,410 | 7,610 |
| Pennsylvania | $33,720 | $33,300 | $27,450 | $42,980 | 13,940 |
| United States | $36,140 | $35,360 | $28,030 | $46,120 | 293,900 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary after taxes in Philadelphia
On the average salary of $34,650, a single filer in Philadelphia takes home about $28,958 a year, or $2,413 a month and $1,114 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in NJ | $29,502 | $2,459 |
| Working in PA | $28,958 | $2,413 |
| Working in DE | $28,665 | $2,389 |
| Working in MD | $28,587 | $2,382 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Is Philadelphia a good place for food servers, nonrestaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Philadelphia area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 102.6), so the average $34,650 buys what about $33,787 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Philadelphia ($54,310). A typical home costs $390,463, or 11.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Philadelphia ranks 3rd of 16 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job; Allentown pays the most ($34,970).
- Allentown$34,970
- Chambersburg$34,900
- Philadelphia$34,650
- Williamsport$34,400
- York$33,810
- Pittsburgh$33,610
- Harrisburg$33,490
- Reading$33,240
- Lebanon$32,880
- Erie$32,600
Highest-paying cities for food servers, nonrestaurant
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($59,020).
- Kahului, HI$59,020
- San Jose, CA$50,590
- San Francisco, CA$48,600
- Napa, CA$48,550
- Vallejo, CA$46,710
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Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary in Philadelphia: questions
How much do food servers, nonrestaurant make an hour in Philadelphia?
$16.66 an hour on average, and $16.01 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food servers, nonrestaurant salary in Philadelphia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,130 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,060, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food servers, nonrestaurant take-home pay in Philadelphia?
About $28,958 a year ($2,413 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $34,650. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do food servers, nonrestaurant earn more in Philadelphia than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% less than the U.S. average for this job ($36,140).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-3041; area Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (37980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.6%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.39, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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