Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in Buffalo, NY

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY

Median annual salary $33,480 -2.8% vs national
Median hourly $16.10
10th percentile $31,200
90th percentile $38,680
Employed locally 1,160
National median $34,460

Compare Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Buffalo, NY stacks up on salary and cost of living.

Full tool →
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant
in
Buffalo, NY
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $31,200
    25th
    $31,200
    50th (median)
    $33,480
    75th
    $35,570
    90th
    $38,680

    Buffalo economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.90% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $70,572 2023 • Census ACS
    Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary vs area income 47% Median Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary is 53% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $57,540
    Hanford-Corcoran, CA $45,030
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $44,710
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $44,200
    Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area $42,600
    Ithaca, NY $40,230

    Nearby metros — Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $44,200
    Ithaca, NY $40,230
    New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $37,950
    Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $36,050
    Albany, OR $35,950
    Binghamton, NY $35,930

    Related occupations in Buffalo, NY

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers$34,240
    Waiters and Waitresses$46,820
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$42,290
    Cooks, Restaurant$37,700
    Bartenders$49,950
    Food Preparation Workers$34,270

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Food Servers, Nonrestaurant make per hour in Buffalo?

    The median hourly wage for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in Buffalo, NY is $16.10, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $20.47 or more per hour.

    Is Buffalo above or below average for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salaries?

    The median Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary in Buffalo, NY is 2.8% below the national median of $34,460. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in Buffalo?

    Entry-level Food Servers, Nonrestaurant (10th percentile) earn around $31,200 per year in Buffalo, NY. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $31,200.