Waiter and Waitress salary in Tennessee
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A waiter and waitress in Tennessee earns a median of $27,760 a year ($13.35/hour equivalent), 21.2% below the national median of $35,230. Tennessee ranks #37 of 51 states. About 52,120 people do this job in Tennessee.
Take-home pay in Tennessee
At the Tennessee median, a single filer keeps about $24,470 a year after federal, FICA and Tennessee taxes — $941 every two weeks. Try your own numbers with the Tennessee paycheck calculator.
- Gross pay
- $1,067.69
- Federal income tax
- −$44.85
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$66.20
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$15.48
- Tennessee income tax
- $0.00No state income tax on wages
- Take-home pay
- $941.17
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $27,760
- Federal
- $1,166
- FICA
- $2,124
- State + local
- $0
- Net
- $24,470
- Marginal federal rate
- 10.0%
- Marginal state rate
- 0.0%
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 Tennessee 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 |
| #37 | Tennessee | $27,760 |
| #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 Tennessee?
The median salary is $27,760 a year and the average is $29,070 (BLS May 2025).
Is Tennessee a good state for waiters and waitresses?
Tennessee ranks #37 of 51 states for median pay in this job, 21% below the national median of $35,230.
What is $27,760 after taxes in Tennessee?
About $24,470 a year ($941 every two weeks) for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.