Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay range in Nashville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $24,720 a year or less, while the top 10% make $48,820 or more. The middle half of food servers, nonrestaurant in Nashville earn between $29,240 and $39,090.
- $25K10th
- $29K25th
- $34KMedian
- $39K75th
- $49K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $35,250 | $2,938 | $16.95 |
| Median | $33,830 | $2,819 | $16.26 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,240 | $2,437 | $14.06 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $39,090 | $3,258 | $18.79 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay in Nashville vs. Tennessee and the U.S.
Food servers, nonrestaurant in Nashville earn 8% more than the Tennessee average ($32,590) and about the same as the U.S. average ($36,140). At the median the gap is -4% against the U.S. median of $35,360.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | $35,250 | $33,830 | $24,720 | $48,820 | 2,240 |
| Tennessee | $32,590 | $30,670 | $22,620 | $46,750 | 5,230 |
| United States | $36,140 | $35,360 | $28,030 | $46,120 | 293,900 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary after taxes in Nashville
On the average salary of $35,250, a single filer in Nashville takes home about $30,503 a year, or $2,542 a month and $1,173 every two weeks. Taxes take 13% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Nashville a good place for food servers, nonrestaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Nashville area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.3), so the average $35,250 buys what about $36,590 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Nashville ($50,390). A typical home costs $455,958, or 12.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary in other Tennessee cities
Nashville ranks 1st of 9 Tennessee metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Nashville$35,250
- Memphis$32,430
- Jackson$31,070
- Knoxville$30,730
- Chattanooga$30,620
- Cleveland$30,540
- Kingsport$29,850
- Clarksville$28,220
- Johnson City$27,700
Highest-paying cities for food servers, nonrestaurant
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($59,020).
- Kahului, HI$59,020
- San Jose, CA$50,590
- San Francisco, CA$48,600
- Napa, CA$48,550
- Vallejo, CA$46,710
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Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary in Nashville: questions
How much do food servers, nonrestaurant make an hour in Nashville?
$16.95 an hour on average, and $16.27 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food servers, nonrestaurant salary in Nashville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $24,720 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,240, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food servers, nonrestaurant take-home pay in Nashville?
About $30,503 a year ($2,542 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $35,250. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do food servers, nonrestaurant earn more in Nashville than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($36,140).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-3041; area Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN (34980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.5%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.08, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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