Waiters and Waitresses pay range in Dayton
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,680 a year or less, while the top 10% make $63,370 or more. The middle half of waiters and waitresses in Dayton earn between $29,070 and $49,080.
- $24K10th
- $29K25th
- $37KMedian
- $49K75th
- $63K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $41,970 | $3,498 | $20.18 |
| Median | $36,600 | $3,050 | $17.60 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,070 | $2,422 | $13.98 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $49,080 | $4,090 | $23.60 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Waiters and Waitresses salary after taxes in Dayton
On the average salary of $41,970, a single filer in Dayton takes home about $34,142 a year, or $2,845 a month and $1,313 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes Dayton's local income tax (2.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
Is Dayton a good place for waiters and waitresses? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Dayton area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.7), so the average $41,970 buys what about $45,278 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Dayton ($49,980). A typical home costs $186,200, or 4.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Waiters and Waitresses salary in other Ohio cities
Dayton ranks 5th of 12 Ohio metro areas for this job; Cincinnati pays the most ($44,740).
- Cincinnati$44,740
- Columbus$43,070
- Lima$42,420
- Canton$42,080
- Dayton$41,970
- Akron$41,190
- Springfield$41,040
- Toledo$41,030
- Cleveland$41,010
- Sandusky$40,180
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 Dayton: questions
How much do waiters and waitresses make an hour in Dayton?
$20.18 an hour on average, and $17.60 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level waiters and waitresses salary in Dayton?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,680 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,070, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the waiters and waitresses take-home pay in Dayton?
About $34,142 a year ($2,845 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $41,970. Includes Dayton's local income tax (2.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
Do waiters and waitresses earn more in Dayton than elsewhere?
The average here is 3% 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 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH (19430). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Census median home value (Zillow does not cover this metro). 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 Dayton's local income tax (2.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.86, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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