Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay range in Milwaukee
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,930 a year or less, while the top 10% make $45,060 or more. The middle half of food servers, nonrestaurant in Milwaukee earn between $31,490 and $39,410.
- $29K10th
- $31K25th
- $35KMedian
- $39K75th
- $45K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $35,800 | $2,983 | $17.21 |
| Median | $34,900 | $2,908 | $16.78 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,490 | $2,624 | $15.14 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $39,410 | $3,284 | $18.95 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay in Milwaukee vs. Wisconsin and the U.S.
Food servers, nonrestaurant in Milwaukee earn about the same as the Wisconsin average ($35,080) and about the same as the U.S. average ($36,140). At the median the gap is -1% against the U.S. median of $35,360.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | $35,800 | $34,900 | $28,930 | $45,060 | 2,080 |
| Wisconsin | $35,080 | $34,670 | $28,640 | $44,080 | 6,680 |
| 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 Milwaukee
On the average salary of $35,800, a single filer in Milwaukee takes home about $30,068 a year, or $2,506 a month and $1,156 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Milwaukee a good place for food servers, nonrestaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Milwaukee area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.9), so the average $35,800 buys what about $36,931 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Milwaukee ($51,160). A typical home costs $390,238, or 10.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary in other Wisconsin cities
Milwaukee ranks 3rd of 13 Wisconsin metro areas for this job; Madison pays the most ($37,220).
- Madison$37,220
- Sheboygan$36,350
- Milwaukee$35,800
- Green Bay$35,370
- Racine$35,100
- La Crosse$34,780
- Kenosha$34,350
- Janesville$34,140
- Appleton$34,090
- Fond du Lac$33,930
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 Milwaukee: questions
How much do food servers, nonrestaurant make an hour in Milwaukee?
$17.21 an hour on average, and $16.78 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food servers, nonrestaurant salary in Milwaukee?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,930 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,490, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food servers, nonrestaurant take-home pay in Milwaukee?
About $30,068 a year ($2,506 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $35,800.
Do food servers, nonrestaurant earn more in Milwaukee than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI (33340). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.3%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.34, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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