Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Asheville, NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Asheville, NC

Median annual salary $29,820 -11.7% vs national
Median hourly $14.34
10th percentile $17,100
90th percentile $57,580
Employed locally 4,380
National median $33,760

Compare Waiters and Waitresses salary & buying power

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

Full tool →
Waiters and Waitresses
in
Asheville, NC
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $17,100
    25th
    $18,820
    50th (median)
    $29,820
    75th
    $44,280
    90th
    $57,580

    Asheville economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.00% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $69,236 2023 • Census ACS
    Waiters and Waitresses salary vs area income 43% Median Waiters and Waitresses salary is 57% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Waiters and Waitresses

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $71,920
    Burlington-South Burlington, VT $66,350
    Vermont $60,910
    Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area $60,840
    Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area $53,460
    Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $48,760

    Nearby metros — Waiters and Waitresses salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Manchester-Nashua, NH $38,120
    Trenton-Princeton, NJ $37,360
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $37,360
    Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $36,910
    Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $36,590
    Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $36,290

    Related occupations in Asheville, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers$29,240
    Cooks, Fast Food$27,340
    Cooks, Restaurant$36,200
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$45,470
    Bartenders$35,130
    Food Preparation Workers$33,190

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Waiters and Waitresses make per hour in Asheville?

    The median hourly wage for Waiters and Waitresses in Asheville, NC is $14.34, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $31.30 or more per hour.

    Is Asheville above or below average for Waiters and Waitresses salaries?

    The median Waiters and Waitresses salary in Asheville, NC is 11.7% below the national median of $33,760. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Waiters and Waitresses in Asheville?

    Entry-level Waiters and Waitresses (10th percentile) earn around $17,100 per year in Asheville, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $18,820.