Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Scranton, PA

In Scranton, PA, the typical waiter or waitress earns a median annual salary of $28,790, with an hourly wage of approximately $13.84. This figure falls below the national median for this occupation, which stands at $33,760. When compared to the local household income in Scranton, the earnings for waiters and waitresses represent about 45% of the area's median household income of $63,656. Given that the estimated employment for this occupation is around 3,360 individuals, these workers often contribute significantly to their households' total earnings, especially considering the relatively low local unemployment rate of 4.20%.

Entry-level waiters and waitresses in Scranton generally earn closer to the lower percentiles, with salaries at the 10th percentile reaching $17,630 annually and at the 25th percentile around $22,020. Conversely, more experienced workers can see their earnings escalate substantially, with those at the 75th percentile earning about $42,130 per year, while those at the 90th percentile can make as much as $58,630 annually. The significant disparity in pay between entry-level and experienced workers is driven by a combination of factors including tenure, skill level, tips earned, shifts worked (such as evenings or weekends), and performance incentives. These elements collectively influence how much an individual waiter or waitress can earn beyond their base salary.