SOC 35-3031 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Waiters and Waitresses — Buffalo
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY · 10 metro areas compared
In Buffalo, NY the median wage for Waiters and Waitresses reaches $46,580 a year.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -0.7%
- Openings per year
- 456,700
- Typical entry-level education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In Buffalo, NY the median wage for Waiters and Waitresses reaches $46,580 a year. That is 32.2% more than the national median of $35,230. Pay ranges from under $32,240 at the tenth percentile to more than $86,590 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $35,460 to $63,110.
Employment stands at 7,990, or 14.9 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Albany records the highest median at $48,980. Of the 586 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 442nd.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $32,240 | −8.5% |
| 25th | $35,460 | +0.7% |
| Median (50th) | $46,580 | +32.2% |
| 75th | $63,110 | +79.1% |
| 90th | $86,590 | +145.8% |
| Mean | $54,310 | +54.2% |
Other metro areas in New York
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albany | $48,980 | 6,310 | |
| 2 | Syracuse | $47,640 | 3,430 | |
| 3 | New York | $47,610 | 138,720 | |
| 4 | Kiryas Joel | $46,950 | 3,930 | |
| 5 | Binghamton | $46,600 | 1,390 | |
| 6 | Kingston | $46,440 | 1,280 | |
| 7 | Elmira | $46,160 | 480 | |
| 8 | Ithaca | $46,090 | 620 | |
| 9 | Utica | $45,950 | 1,790 | |
| 10 | Rochester | $45,310 | 6,070 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Buffalo run 4.2% below the national average, so the median of $46,580 goes as far as $48,622 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 38.0% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$46,580as reported by BLSLocal price level
95.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$48,622US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $46,580 a year, 32.2% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $32,240 to $86,590 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 7,990 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Albany, at $48,980.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Waiters and Waitresses in Buffalo, NY?
The median annual wage is $46,580, or $22.39 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 $35,230, so pay in Buffalo, NY is 32.2% higher. 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 Buffalo, NY earns more than $86,590 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $32,240 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 Albany, at $48,980 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 7,990 jobs in this occupation in Buffalo, NY. 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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