Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a waiter or waitress make in Fayetteville-Springdale, AR?

In the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR metropolitan area, waiters or waitresses earned a median of $26,210 a year ($12.60 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 4,300 of these jobs there. That is 44% below the $46,610 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $23,370 and $44,620; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Arkansas tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $22,704 in take-home pay.

Waiter or waitress pay in Fayetteville-Springdale, AR at a glance

Median salary

$26,210$12.60 per hour · $2,184 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$23,370$11.24/hr
25th percentile$24,710$11.88/hr
75th percentile$32,010$15.39/hr
90th percentile$44,620$21.45/hr
Jobs in this metro4,300Location quotient 1.07 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here44% belowAll-jobs median $46,610
Against Arkansas6% aboveStatewide median $24,680
Against the U.S.26% belowNational 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 Fayetteville-Springdale, AR after taxes

$26,210
$15,000$55,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$26,210
Net 87%
Fed 4%
AR 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$22,704After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,892Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$873Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,011 / yr
Arkansas state income tax$490 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,005 / yr

Waiters or waitresses pay range in Fayetteville-Springdale, AR, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What waiters or waitresses earned in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AR)
10th percentile$11.24/hr$1,948$23,370$20,462
25th percentile$11.88/hr$2,059$24,710$21,520
MedianMedian$12.60/hr$2,184$26,210$22,704
75th percentile$15.39/hr$2,668$32,010$27,197
90th percentile$21.45/hr$3,718$44,620$36,837

Is $26,210 a good salary in Fayetteville-Springdale, AR?

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$81,650Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)91.48.6% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household32.1%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 Fayetteville-Springdale, AR: common questions

What is the median salary for waiters or waitresses in Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR?

The BLS median annual wage for waiters or waitresses in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR metro area was $26,210 in May 2025, about $2,184 a month or $12.60 an hour. Statewide, the Arkansas median for this job is $24,680, so the metro pays 6% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for waiters or waitresses in Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR?

The median hourly wage for waiters or waitresses in Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR was $12.60 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $11.24 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.45.

How many waiters or waitresses work in Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR?

BLS estimated 4,300 jobs for waiters or waitresses in the metro in May 2025, or 15.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.07 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for waiters or waitresses in Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR?

BLS wage estimates for waiters or waitresses in Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR run from $23,370 at the 10th percentile to $24,710 at the 25th, $32,010 at the 75th, and $44,620 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do waiters or waitresses take home after taxes in Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR?

On a median gross salary of $26,210, an estimated $22,704 lands in net take-home pay per year ($873 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Arkansas in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,506 (an effective rate of 13.4%).

How much do waiters or waitresses make per month in Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR?

On the median annual salary of $26,210, gross monthly income is $2,184. After federal, FICA, and Arkansas state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,892 per month (or $873 every two weeks).

Is $26,210 a good salary in Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR?

At $26,210, the median salary for waiters or waitresses is 32.1% of the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR median household income ($81,650). It is 44% below the $46,610 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.4, so prices here run 8.6% below the U.S. average.