Waiters and Waitresses salary in California
The median waiters and waitresses in California earns $36,080 a year, 2% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $2,387 a month.
- 10th percentile
- $34,320
- 25th percentile
- $34,900
- Median percentile
- $36,080
- 75th percentile
- $39,870
- 90th percentile
- $68,950
Based on 229,970 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.
What you keep
$28,645 take-home a year
| Gross pay | $36,080 |
| Federal income tax | −$2,150 |
| Social Security + Medicare | −$2,760 |
| California income tax (approx.) | −$2,526 |
| Monthly take-home | $2,387 |
| Every two weeks | $1,102 |
Does it go far here?
$32,587Median pay in California is worth this at average US prices (local price level 110.7 vs 100).
85%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,036 a month, Census ACS).
Top-paying jobs in California
| Job | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $400,150 |
| Neurologists | $357,080 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $353,900 |
| Psychiatrists | $353,500 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $313,890 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $301,240 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $292,410 |
| Physicians, All Other | $281,590 |
All waiters and waitresses salaries · Take-home pay in California