SOC 35-3031 · Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metro

Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Olympia, WA

The average salary for waiters and waitresses in Olympia, Washington is $59,860 a year ($28.78 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $53,000: half of the 1,410 people in this job in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 47% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($40,608).

$59,860average per year

$28.78 / hourMedian $53,000Take-home ≈ $50,278

  • $36K10th
  • $46K25th
  • $53KMedian
  • $70K75th
  • $93K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

1,410people in this job
+47%vs U.S. metro average
#3 of 11Washington metros
104cost of living (U.S. = 100)
Advertisement

Waiters and Waitresses pay range in Olympia

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,330 a year or less, while the top 10% make $92,670 or more. The middle half of waiters and waitresses in Olympia earn between $45,630 and $69,690.

  • $36K10th
  • $46K25th
  • $53KMedian
  • $70K75th
  • $93K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$59,860$4,988$28.78
Median$53,000$4,417$25.48
Entry level (25th percentile)$45,630$3,802$21.94
Experienced (75th percentile)$69,690$5,808$33.50

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Waiters and Waitresses salary after taxes in Olympia

On the average salary of $59,860, a single filer in Olympia takes home about $50,278 a year, or $4,190 a month and $1,934 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.

Advertisement

Is Olympia a good place for waiters and waitresses? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Olympia area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.7), so the average $59,860 buys what about $57,741 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Olympia ($61,960). A typical home costs $533,918, or 8.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $59,860 is worth in another city

Waiters and Waitresses salary in other Washington cities

Olympia ranks 3rd of 11 Washington metro areas for this job; Seattle pays the most ($62,940).

All Waiters and Waitresses salaries in Washington

Highest-paying cities for waiters and waitresses

Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($87,210).

Waiters and Waitresses salary by city

Advertisement

Does this match what you are paid?

Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.

Share your pay anonymously

Reviewed before it counts. Waiters and Waitresses in Olympia, WA.

Waiters and Waitresses salary in Olympia: questions

How much do waiters and waitresses make an hour in Olympia?

$28.78 an hour on average, and $25.48 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level waiters and waitresses salary in Olympia?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,330 a year and the 25th percentile is $45,630, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the waiters and waitresses take-home pay in Olympia?

About $50,278 a year ($4,190 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $59,860. Washington has no state income tax; Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.

Do waiters and waitresses earn more in Olympia than elsewhere?

The average here is 47% 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA (36500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
  • 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. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.74, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.74).

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.