Waiter and Waitress salary in Colorado
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A waiter and waitress in Colorado earns a median of $44,860 a year ($21.57/hour equivalent), 27.3% above the national median of $35,230. Colorado ranks #8 of 51 states. About 40,680 people do this job in Colorado.
Take-home pay in Colorado
At the Colorado median, a single filer keeps about $36,762 a year after federal, FICA and Colorado taxes — $1,414 every two weeks. Try your own numbers with the Colorado paycheck calculator.
- Gross pay
- $1,725.38
- Federal income tax
- −$123.20
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$106.97
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$25.02
- Colorado income tax
- −$48.67
- CO FAMLI
- −$7.59
- Take-home pay
- $1,413.93
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $44,860
- Federal
- $3,203
- FICA
- $3,432
- State + local
- $1,463
- Net
- $36,762
- Marginal federal rate
- 12.0%
- Marginal state rate
- 4.4%
2026 federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) and 2026 state rules. Estimates assume wages are your only income and use annual liability, so your actual withholding can differ slightly.
How Colorado compares
| Rank | State | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Hawaii | $62,390 |
| #2 | Vermont | $59,140 |
| #3 | Washington | $56,130 |
| #4 | Oregon | $48,410 |
| #5 | District of Columbia | $47,850 |
| #8 | Colorado | $44,860 |
| #49 | South Carolina | $18,370 |
| #50 | Oklahoma | $17,910 |
| #51 | Louisiana | $15,080 |
See the national waiter and waitress salary page for the full pay range and all states.
BLS occupation: Waiters and Waitresses (SOC 35-3031), May 2025, state estimates.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a waiter and waitress make in Colorado?
The median salary is $44,860 a year and the average is $51,240 (BLS May 2025).
Is Colorado a good state for waiters and waitresses?
Colorado ranks #8 of 51 states for median pay in this job, 27% above the national median of $35,230.
What is $44,860 after taxes in Colorado?
About $36,762 a year ($1,414 every two weeks) for a single filer in 2026.
Your business here? Sponsor this calculator from $19/week. See placements
Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.