Waiters and Waitresses pay range in Paducah
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $15,970 a year or less, while the top 10% make $57,810 or more. The middle half of waiters and waitresses in Paducah earn between $16,510 and $39,140.
- $16K10th
- $17K25th
- $29KMedian
- $39K75th
- $58K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $33,040 | $2,753 | $15.88 |
| Median | $29,280 | $2,440 | $14.08 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $16,510 | $1,376 | $7.94 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $39,140 | $3,262 | $18.82 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Waiters and Waitresses salary after taxes in Paducah
On the average salary of $33,040, a single filer in Paducah takes home about $27,028 a year, or $2,252 a month and $1,040 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
The Paducah, KY-IL metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IL | $27,233 | $2,269 |
| Working in KY | $27,028 | $2,252 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes Paducah's local income tax (2%).
Is Paducah a good place for waiters and waitresses? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Paducah area are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 86.1), so the average $33,040 buys what about $38,381 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Paducah ($45,860). A typical home costs $171,436, or 5.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Waiters and Waitresses salary in other Kentucky cities
Paducah ranks 6th of 6 Kentucky metro areas for this job; Lexington pays the most ($37,250).
- Lexington$37,250
- Louisville$36,360
- Owensboro$36,260
- Elizabethtown$35,920
- Bowling Green$34,080
- Paducah$33,040
Highest-paying cities for waiters and waitresses
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($87,210).
- Kahului, HI$87,210
- Seattle, WA$62,940
- Honolulu, HI$61,880
- Bremerton, WA$61,770
- Burlington, VT$61,070
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Waiters and Waitresses salary in Paducah: questions
How much do waiters and waitresses make an hour in Paducah?
$15.89 an hour on average, and $14.08 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level waiters and waitresses salary in Paducah?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $15,970 a year and the 25th percentile is $16,510, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the waiters and waitresses take-home pay in Paducah?
About $27,028 a year ($2,252 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $33,040. Includes Paducah's local income tax (2%).
Do waiters and waitresses earn more in Paducah than elsewhere?
The average here is 19% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($40,608).
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 35-3031; area Paducah, KY-IL (37140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.1%.
- 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). Includes Paducah's local income tax (2%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.37, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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