Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a waiter or waitress make in Detroit-Warren, MI?

In the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metropolitan area, waiters or waitresses earned a median of $37,490 a year ($18.02 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 29,210 of these jobs there. That is 28% below the $52,080 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $25,960 and $64,210; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Michigan tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,961 in take-home pay.

Waiter or waitress pay in Detroit-Warren, MI at a glance

Median salary

$37,490$18.02 per hour · $3,124 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$25,960$12.48/hr
25th percentile$28,770$13.83/hr
75th percentile$59,530$28.62/hr
90th percentile$64,210$30.87/hr
Jobs in this metro29,210Location quotient 1.05 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here28% belowAll-jobs median $52,080
Against Michigan1% belowStatewide median $37,760
Against the U.S.6% aboveNational median $35,230

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Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Waiter or waitress salary in Detroit-Warren, MI after taxes

$37,490
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,490
Net 83%
Fed 6%
MI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,961After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,580Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,191Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,319 / yr
Michigan state income tax$1,343 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,868 / yr

Waiters or waitresses pay range in Detroit-Warren, MI, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What waiters or waitresses earned in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MI)
10th percentile$12.48/hr$2,163$25,960$22,136
25th percentile$13.83/hr$2,398$28,770$24,325
MedianMedian$18.02/hr$3,124$37,490$30,961
75th percentile$28.62/hr$4,961$59,530$47,733
90th percentile$30.87/hr$5,351$64,210$51,295

Is $37,490 a good salary in Detroit-Warren, MI?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for waiters or waitresses next to both.

Median household income$76,664Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)100.30.3% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household48.9%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Do waiters or waitresses pay tax on tips?

Yes, but less than before. This job is on the Treasury's list of tipped occupations, so from 2025 through 2028 up to $25,000 a year of reported tips comes off federal taxable income, shrinking above $150,000 of income ($300,000 joint). Social Security and Medicare are still owed on every tip, and most states still tax them. The BLS pay figures on this page already include tips as employers report them.

See what the tips deduction saves you →

Waiter or waitress pay in Detroit-Warren, MI: common questions

What is the median salary for waiters or waitresses in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI?

The BLS median annual wage for waiters or waitresses in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area was $37,490 in May 2025, about $3,124 a month or $18.02 an hour. Statewide, the Michigan median for this job is $37,760, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for waiters or waitresses in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI?

The median hourly wage for waiters or waitresses in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI was $18.02 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.48 an hour and one in ten earned more than $30.87.

How many waiters or waitresses work in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI?

BLS estimated 29,210 jobs for waiters or waitresses in the metro in May 2025, or 15.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.05 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for waiters or waitresses in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI?

BLS wage estimates for waiters or waitresses in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI run from $25,960 at the 10th percentile to $28,770 at the 25th, $59,530 at the 75th, and $64,210 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do waiters or waitresses take home after taxes in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI?

On a median gross salary of $37,490, an estimated $30,961 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,191 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Michigan in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,529 (an effective rate of 17.4%).

How much do waiters or waitresses make per month in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI?

On the median annual salary of $37,490, gross monthly income is $3,124. After federal, FICA, and Michigan state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,580 per month (or $1,191 every two weeks).

Is $37,490 a good salary in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI?

At $37,490, the median salary for waiters or waitresses is 48.9% of the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI median household income ($76,664). It is 28% below the $52,080 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 100.3, so prices here run 0.3% above the U.S. average.