Waiter and Waitress salary in Pennsylvania
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A waiter and waitress in Pennsylvania earns a median of $34,690 a year ($16.68/hour equivalent), 1.5% below the national median of $35,230. Pennsylvania ranks #25 of 51 states. About 82,300 people do this job in Pennsylvania.
Take-home pay in Pennsylvania
At the Pennsylvania median, a single filer keeps about $28,964 a year after federal, FICA and Pennsylvania taxes — $1,114 every two weeks. Try your own numbers with the Pennsylvania paycheck calculator.
- Gross pay
- $1,334.23
- Federal income tax
- −$76.26
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$82.72
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$19.35
- Pennsylvania income tax
- −$40.96
- PA Unemployment Compensation
- −$0.93
- Take-home pay
- $1,114.01
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $34,690
- Federal
- $1,983
- FICA
- $2,654
- State + local
- $1,089
- Net
- $28,964
- Marginal federal rate
- 12.0%
- Marginal state rate
- 3.1%
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 Pennsylvania 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 |
| #25 | Pennsylvania | $34,690 |
| #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 Pennsylvania?
The median salary is $34,690 a year and the average is $38,110 (BLS May 2025).
Is Pennsylvania a good state for waiters and waitresses?
Pennsylvania ranks #25 of 51 states for median pay in this job, 2% below the national median of $35,230.
What is $34,690 after taxes in Pennsylvania?
About $28,964 a year ($1,114 every two weeks) for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.