Waiters and Waitresses salary in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Official BLS OEWS May 2025 pay for Waiters and Waitresses in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area — and the estimated take-home pay on the median wage under 2026 District of Columbia tax rules.
The figures
The median Waiters and Waitresses in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earns $46,040 a year ($22.14 an hour), according to the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates (full citation in Sources). The middle half of Waiters and Waitresses in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV earn between $36,400 and $60,180 a year. At the ends of the distribution, the lowest-paid 10 percent earn $31,880 or less and the top 10 percent earn $81,060 or more. BLS estimates 46,160 Waiters and Waitresses jobs in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area — 14.718 of every 1,000 jobs in the area, a location quotient of 1.01 (about the same concentration as the nation). That is 2.0% of all Waiters and Waitresses employment in the United States (2,270,910 jobs nationally). By employment, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is the #7 largest of the 25 covered metro areas for Waiters and Waitresses. In aggregate, Waiters and Waitresses in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV earn about $2.39 billion a year (BLS employment multiplied by the mean wage). At the mean wage, the engine's take-home is $41,808.18 a year, so the aggregate take-home of Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Waiters and Waitresses is about $1.93 billion. BLS reports a relative standard error of 3.7% for this employment estimate. Ranked by median pay, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV stands #5 of the 25 metro areas covered on this site for Waiters and Waitresses. By employment, Waiters and Waitresses is the #10 largest of the 30 covered occupations in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Placed against the national distribution for Waiters and Waitresses, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median of $46,040 falls between the national median ($35,230) and the national 75th percentile ($47,110). Across all occupations, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median is $71,060 a year — Waiters and Waitresses pay is 35.2% below the area's overall median.
Wages in detail
| Wage level | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Mean | $24.91 | $51,820 |
| 10th percentile | $15.33 | $31,880 |
| 25th percentile | $17.50 | $36,400 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $22.14 | $46,040 |
| 75th percentile | $28.93 | $60,180 |
| 90th percentile | $38.97 | $81,060 |
What the wage distribution says
The top 10 percent of Waiters and Waitresses in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV earn 2.5 times what the bottom 10 percent earn ($81,060 against $31,880). The middle half spans $23,780 — from $36,400 to $60,180. Hourly, the 90th percentile ($38.97) is 2.54 times the 10th ($15.33). In the upper half of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV distribution, the 75th percentile wage of $60,180 takes home $47,997.70 and the 90th percentile wage of $81,060 takes home $61,840.28 — $13,842.58 more net for $20,880 more gross. Against the median take-home of $37,510.44, the top decile keeps 1.65 times as much. The mean wage of $51,820 sits 12.6% above the median: higher-paid Waiters and Waitresses pull the average up in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Among the 30 covered occupations in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, Waiters and Waitresses ranks #21 by median pay. In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV wage ladder of covered occupations, Waiters and Waitresses sits between Customer Service Representatives at $46,220 and Nursing Assistants at $45,730. Waiters and Waitresses accounts for 1.5% of all employment in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area. The average covered metro employs 39,482 Waiters and Waitresses; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV employs 1.2 times that.
Take-home pay on the median wage in District of Columbia
Single filer, no dependents, no pre-tax contributions, paid biweekly, a full year of W-2 wages in District of Columbia; city and local taxes are not included:
| Gross pay (annual) | $46,040.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $3,344.80 |
| Social Security (FICA) | $2,854.48 |
| Medicare (FICA) | $667.58 |
| District of Columbia income tax | $1,662.40 |
| Total deductions | $8,529.56 |
| Net pay (annual) | $37,510.44 |
| Net pay per biweekly paycheck | $1,442.71 |
| Total deduction rate | 18.53% of gross |
At the median, $37,510.44 of the $46,040 gross is kept ($1,442.71 per paycheck) — a deduction rate of 18.53%. The deduction rate moves with pay: 15.36% at the 10th percentile, 16.64% at the 25th percentile, 20.24% at the 75th percentile, 23.71% at the 90th percentile. Between the 25th and 75th percentile wages, annual take-home rises by $17,654.14 on a gross rise of $23,780.
The same engine at the other published points of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV wage distribution:
| Wage point | Net per year | Net per paycheck | Deduction rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile ($31,880) | $26,982.90 | $1,037.80 | 15.36% |
| 25th percentile ($36,400) | $30,343.56 | $1,167.06 | 16.64% |
| Median ($46,040) | $37,510.44 | $1,442.71 | 18.53% |
| 75th percentile ($60,180) | $47,997.70 | $1,846.07 | 20.24% |
| 90th percentile ($81,060) | $61,840.28 | $2,378.47 | 23.71% |
Across the published distribution, take-home pay runs from $26,982.90 a year at the 10th percentile to $61,840.28 at the 90th — a spread of $34,857.38 of net pay inside one occupation and one metro area.
For scale: across all occupations, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median wage of $71,060 takes home $55,576.74 a year ($2,137.57 per paycheck, deduction rate 21.79%). The Waiters and Waitresses median take-home of $37,510.44 sits $18,066.30 (below that area-wide figure.
Multi-state metro area. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV also covers parts of Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia. The take-home estimate above uses District of Columbia rules — the metro area's primary state. If the job is based in another part of the metro area, the state tax changes: see the Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia paycheck calculators.
Run your own numbers
Your own withholding depends on your Form W-4, your benefits and your other income — run your exact figures through the calculator:
Against the national median
Nationally, the median Waiters and Waitresses earns $35,230 a year ($16.94 an hour). The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median of $46,040 is $10,810 (30.7%) above the national median.
The means rank the area the same way: $51,820 a year in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV against $40,060 nationally, a gap of $11,760 (29.4%).
Set against the whole local market, the Waiters and Waitresses 90th percentile of $81,060 is 46% of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV all-occupations 90th percentile ($174,600), and its 10th percentile of $31,880 is 88% of the area-wide 10th ($36,260).
| Median annual | Median hourly | Mean annual | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $46,040 | $22.14 | $51,820 |
| United States | $35,230 | $16.94 | $40,060 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the median salary for Waiters and Waitresses in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
$46,040 a year ($22.14 an hour), per the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates. The mean is $51,820 a year. Ranked by median pay, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV stands #5 of the 25 covered metro areas for this occupation.
What is the take-home pay on $46,040 in District of Columbia?
About $37,510.44 a year ($1,442.71 per biweekly paycheck) for a single filer with no dependents and no pre-tax contributions, under 2026 rules — a total deduction rate of 18.53% of gross. At the 75th percentile wage of $60,180, take-home is $47,997.70.
How does pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV compare with the national median for Waiters and Waitresses?
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median of $46,040 is $10,810 (30.7%) above the national median of $35,230 a year. At the top of the distribution, the local 90th percentile is $81,060, against a national 90th percentile of $64,720.
How much do the top 10% of Waiters and Waitresses earn in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
$81,060 a year or more ($38.97 an hour or more), per the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates.
What is the take-home pay at the 90th percentile for Waiters and Waitresses in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
On $81,060 a year, the engine gives a take-home of $61,840.28 a year ($2,378.47 per biweekly paycheck) in District of Columbia under the same assumptions — a deduction rate of 23.71%.
How many Waiters and Waitresses jobs are there in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
BLS estimates 46,160 Waiters and Waitresses jobs in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area — 14.718 of every 1,000 jobs in the area.
How concentrated are Waiters and Waitresses jobs in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The location quotient is 1.01 — about the same concentration as the nation. A quotient of 1.0 means the occupation's share of local employment equals its national share.
How much does take-home pay vary for Waiters and Waitresses in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
From $26,982.90 a year at the 10th percentile wage ($31,880) to $61,840.28 at the 90th ($81,060), under the same single-filer assumptions in District of Columbia.
What is the total wage bill for Waiters and Waitresses in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
About $2.39 billion a year — the BLS employment estimate of 46,160 multiplied by the mean wage of $51,820.
Sources and method
Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates (released May 15, 2026), retrieved October 27, 2026 — bls.gov/oes. OEWS figures are survey estimates for May 2025, not job offers. Take-home pay is computed by this site's paycheck engine with 2026 federal and state rules; the method, and what the engine does not model, is documented in the paycheck methodology guide. Estimates only — not tax advice.