Waiters and Waitresses pay range in Cleveland
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $15,080 a year or less, while the top 10% make $45,660 or more. The middle half of waiters and waitresses in Cleveland earn between $15,080 and $30,160.
- $15K10th
- $15K25th
- $23KMedian
- $30K75th
- $46K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $25,860 | $2,155 | $12.43 |
| Median | $23,300 | $1,942 | $11.20 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $15,080 | $1,257 | $7.25 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $30,160 | $2,513 | $14.50 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Waiters and Waitresses salary after taxes in Cleveland
On the average salary of $25,860, a single filer in Cleveland takes home about $22,906 a year, or $1,909 a month and $881 every two weeks. Taxes take 11% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Cleveland a good place for waiters and waitresses? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Cleveland area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.1), so the average $25,860 buys what about $29,360 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Cleveland ($40,230). A typical home costs $312,380, or 12.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Waiters and Waitresses salary in other Tennessee cities
Cleveland ranks 9th of 10 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Nashville pays the most ($31,580).
- Nashville$31,580
- Kingsport$31,460
- Knoxville$28,970
- Morristown$28,850
- Memphis$28,120
- Clarksville$27,420
- Chattanooga$27,210
- Johnson City$26,260
- Cleveland$25,860
- Jackson$25,680
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 Cleveland: questions
How much do waiters and waitresses make an hour in Cleveland?
$12.43 an hour on average, and $11.20 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level waiters and waitresses salary in Cleveland?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $15,080 a year and the 25th percentile is $15,080, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the waiters and waitresses take-home pay in Cleveland?
About $22,906 a year ($1,909 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $25,860. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do waiters and waitresses earn more in Cleveland than elsewhere?
The average here is 36% 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 Cleveland, TN (17420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.2%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.15, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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