DOL Filings vs BLS Survey
What Employers File with DOL
This figure comes from 668 employer filings with the US Department of Labor under legal obligation. Employers file this salary when sponsoring workers for PERM green cards or H-1B visas.
What BLS Says the Market Pays
This figure comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey of 2,302,690 establishments. This is an independent survey-based estimate of what all workers in this occupation earn.
Salary Distribution
Top Paying Employers for Waiters and Waitresses
Ranked by median salary from DOL filingsSalary by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Median | vs National | Filings | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NE | $31,200 | +56% | 10 | 8 |
| Washington, DC | $17,430 | -12.9% | 14 | 7 |
Salary by State
| State | Median | vs National | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $27,550 | +25.7% | 6 |
| Massachusetts | $27,539 | -24.3% | 23 |
| California | $26,645 | -24.5% | 41 |
| Nebraska | $25,272 | -25.7% | 26 |
| Michigan | $25,000 | -30.4% | 1 |
| Idaho | $24,000 | -21.4% | 1 |
| Arkansas | $22,880 | -13.2% | 1 |
| Colorado | $21,507 | -38.5% | 6 |
| Illinois | $21,403 | -26.5% | 5 |
| Wisconsin | $20,155 | -30.6% | 3 |
| Florida | $19,261 | -34.9% | 61 |
| New Jersey | $18,866 | -51.3% | 6 |
| New York | $18,866 | -59.4% | 10 |
| Connecticut | $18,782 | -48.5% | 2 |
| Maryland | $18,034 | -48.7% | 8 |
| Utah | $17,940 | -39.9% | 2 |
| Missouri | $17,534 | -34.9% | 1 |
| District of Columbia | $17,430 | -61.9% | 14 |
| Virginia | $17,430 | -52.9% | 27 |
| Texas | $17,025 | -39.1% | 4 |
| Indiana | $16,973 | -38.1% | 1 |
Salary Trend - DOL Data
Education Requirements
From PERM filingsFor Waiters and Waitresses positions, 0% of PERM filings required a Bachelor's degree, 0% required a Master's degree, and 100% required no formal degree.
Education by Top Employer
Most common minimum education from PERM filings| Employer | Most Common Education | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine Restaurant Merger Sub, LLC dba IHOP | High School | $19,219 |
| ACG BBQ, LLC. dba Sonnys BBQ | High School | $19,178 |
| Marbl Restaurant, Inc. | None | $27,290 |
| FRENCHMANS CREEK, INC. | None | $22,693 |
| SAIPAN LAULAU DEVELOPMENT INC. | None | $13,624 |
| CHUNG BLUE INC | Not specified | N/A |
| North Harbor Project Inc dba The Fat Mermaid | High School | $27,550 |
| RIOZ INC. | None | $21,320 |
| FIDDLERS CREEK LLC | None | $35,776 |
| Gourmet Chefs II LLC DBA Tabla Winter Park | Not specified | N/A |
Salary by Industry
Same occupation, different industries (NAICS)The highest-paying industry for Waiters and Waitresses is Accommodation and Food Services at $24,359.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on 668 DOL filings, the median salary for a Waiters and Waitresses is $20,000, ranging from $17,909 to $26,000.
The 90th percentile salary is $62,510 according to BLS data.
Based on DOL filings, New York, NE offers the highest median at $31,200.
DOL filing data covers positions where the employer filed for PERM green card sponsorship or an H-1B visa. These filings represent a subset of all Waiters and Waitresses positions. We compare this data against BLS OEWS data which covers all workers in this occupation.
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