Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay range in Houston
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,070 a year or less, while the top 10% make $35,900 or more. The middle half of food servers, nonrestaurant in Houston earn between $25,920 and $33,990.
- $23K10th
- $26K25th
- $29KMedian
- $34K75th
- $36K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $29,730 | $2,478 | $14.29 |
| Median | $29,050 | $2,421 | $13.97 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $25,920 | $2,160 | $12.46 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $33,990 | $2,832 | $16.34 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay in Houston vs. Texas and the U.S.
Food servers, nonrestaurant in Houston earn about the same as the Texas average ($29,950) and 18% less than the U.S. average ($36,140). At the median the gap is -18% against the U.S. median of $35,360.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | $29,730 | $29,050 | $23,070 | $35,900 | 3,480 |
| Texas | $29,950 | $29,300 | $21,930 | $36,930 | 14,340 |
| 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 Houston
On the average salary of $29,730, a single filer in Houston takes home about $26,068 a year, or $2,172 a month and $1,003 every two weeks. Taxes take 12% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Houston a good place for food servers, nonrestaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Houston area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.6), so the average $29,730 buys what about $30,143 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Houston ($49,410). A typical home costs $308,306, or 10.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary in other Texas cities
Houston ranks 4th of 20 Texas metro areas for this job; Midland pays the most ($32,900).
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 Houston: questions
How much do food servers, nonrestaurant make an hour in Houston?
$14.29 an hour on average, and $13.96 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food servers, nonrestaurant salary in Houston?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,070 a year and the 25th percentile is $25,920, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food servers, nonrestaurant take-home pay in Houston?
About $26,068 a year ($2,172 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $29,730. Texas has no state income tax.
Do food servers, nonrestaurant earn more in Houston than elsewhere?
The average here is 18% less than 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX (26420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.3%.
- 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 0.56, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.56).
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