Waiters and Waitresses pay range in Grand Rapids
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,140 a year or less, while the top 10% make $73,590 or more. The middle half of waiters and waitresses in Grand Rapids earn between $29,930 and $60,570.
- $27K10th
- $30K25th
- $43KMedian
- $61K75th
- $74K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $47,040 | $3,920 | $22.62 |
| Median | $42,930 | $3,578 | $20.64 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,930 | $2,494 | $14.39 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $60,570 | $5,048 | $29.12 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Waiters and Waitresses salary after taxes in Grand Rapids
On the average salary of $47,040, a single filer in Grand Rapids takes home about $37,605 a year, or $3,134 a month and $1,446 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Includes Grand Rapids's local income tax (1.5%).
Is Grand Rapids a good place for waiters and waitresses? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Grand Rapids area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.5), so the average $47,040 buys what about $49,233 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Grand Rapids ($47,570). A typical home costs $359,923, or 7.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Waiters and Waitresses salary in other Michigan cities
Grand Rapids ranks 1st of 15 Michigan metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
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 Grand Rapids: questions
How much do waiters and waitresses make an hour in Grand Rapids?
$22.62 an hour on average, and $20.64 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level waiters and waitresses salary in Grand Rapids?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,140 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,930, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the waiters and waitresses take-home pay in Grand Rapids?
About $37,605 a year ($3,134 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $47,040. Includes Grand Rapids's local income tax (1.5%).
Do waiters and waitresses earn more in Grand Rapids than elsewhere?
The average here is 16% more 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI (24340). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.7%.
- 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). Includes Grand Rapids's local income tax (1.5%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.92, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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