SOC 35-3041 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — Illinois
Illinois · 8 metro areas compared
At $35,080, median pay for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in Illinois tracks the national median of $35,360 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
At $35,080, median pay for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in Illinois tracks the national median of $35,360 closely. Pay ranges from under $31,200 at the tenth percentile to more than $41,960 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $31,290 to $37,360.
Employment stands at 17,560, or 2.9 jobs per thousand held locally. Illinois ranks number 22nd out of 51 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Chicago records the highest median at $35,670. Of the 747 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 725th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $31,200 | −11.8% |
| 25th | $31,290 | −11.5% |
| Median (50th) | $35,080 | −0.8% |
| 75th | $37,360 | +5.7% |
| 90th | $41,960 | +18.7% |
| Mean | $35,730 | +1.0% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Illinois
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago | $35,670 | 12,200 | |
| 2 | Springfield | $34,800 | 240 | |
| 3 | Champaign | $34,580 | 330 | |
| 4 | Decatur | $33,710 | 100 | |
| 5 | Peoria | $33,700 | 490 | |
| 6 | Bloomington | $33,540 | 230 | |
| 7 | Kankakee | $32,430 | 240 | |
| 8 | Rockford | $31,670 | 470 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Illinois sit close to the national average, so $35,080 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$35,080as reported by BLSLocal price level
100.0US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$35,080US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $35,080 a year, 0.8% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $31,200 to $41,960 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 17,560 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 22nd of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Chicago, at $35,670.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in Illinois?
The median annual wage is $35,080, or $16.87 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $35,360, so pay in Illinois is 0.8% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Illinois earns more than $41,960 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $31,200 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Chicago, at $35,670 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 17,560 jobs in this occupation in Illinois. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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