Waiter and Waitress salary in Illinois
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A waiter and waitress in Illinois earns a median of $31,200 a year ($15.00/hour equivalent), 11.4% below the national median of $35,230. Illinois ranks #28 of 51 states. About 72,900 people do this job in Illinois.
Take-home pay in Illinois
At the Illinois median, a single filer keeps about $25,850 a year after federal, FICA and Illinois taxes — $994 every two weeks. Try your own numbers with the Illinois paycheck calculator.
- Gross pay
- $1,200.00
- Federal income tax
- −$60.15
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$74.40
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$17.40
- Illinois income tax
- −$53.83
- Take-home pay
- $994.21
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $31,200
- Federal
- $1,564
- FICA
- $2,387
- State + local
- $1,400
- Net
- $25,850
- Marginal federal rate
- 12.0%
- Marginal state rate
- 5.0%
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 Illinois 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 |
| #28 | Illinois | $31,200 |
| #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 Illinois?
The median salary is $31,200 a year and the average is $35,610 (BLS May 2025).
Is Illinois a good state for waiters and waitresses?
Illinois ranks #28 of 51 states for median pay in this job, 11% below the national median of $35,230.
What is $31,200 after taxes in Illinois?
About $25,850 a year ($994 every two weeks) for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.