Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a waiter or waitress make in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI?

In the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metropolitan area, waiters or waitresses earned a median of $42,930 a year ($20.64 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 8,080 of these jobs there. That is 10% below the $47,570 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $27,140 and $73,590; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Michigan tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $35,100 in take-home pay.

Waiter or waitress pay in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI at a glance

Median salary

$42,930$20.64 per hour · $3,578 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$27,140$13.05/hr
25th percentile$29,930$14.39/hr
75th percentile$60,570$29.12/hr
90th percentile$73,590$35.38/hr
Jobs in this metro8,080Location quotient 0.92 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here10% belowAll-jobs median $47,570
Against Michigan14% aboveStatewide median $37,760
Against the U.S.22% 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI after taxes

$42,930
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$42,930
Net 82%
Fed 7%
MI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$35,100After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,925Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,350Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,972 / yr
Michigan state income tax$1,574 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,284 / yr

Waiters or waitresses pay range in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What waiters or waitresses earned in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MI)
10th percentile$13.05/hr$2,262$27,140$23,057
25th percentile$14.39/hr$2,494$29,930$25,207
MedianMedian$20.64/hr$3,578$42,930$35,100
75th percentile$29.12/hr$5,048$60,570$48,525
90th percentile$35.38/hr$6,133$73,590$57,724

Is $42,930 a good salary in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, 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$82,874Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)95.54.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household51.8%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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI: common questions

What is the median salary for waiters or waitresses in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

The BLS median annual wage for waiters or waitresses in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area was $42,930 in May 2025, about $3,578 a month or $20.64 an hour. Statewide, the Michigan median for this job is $37,760, so the metro pays 14% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for waiters or waitresses in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

The median hourly wage for waiters or waitresses in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI was $20.64 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.05 an hour and one in ten earned more than $35.38.

How many waiters or waitresses work in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

BLS estimated 8,080 jobs for waiters or waitresses in the metro in May 2025, or 13.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.92 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for waiters or waitresses in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

BLS wage estimates for waiters or waitresses in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI run from $27,140 at the 10th percentile to $29,930 at the 25th, $60,570 at the 75th, and $73,590 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do waiters or waitresses take home after taxes in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

On a median gross salary of $42,930, an estimated $35,100 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,350 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Michigan in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,830 (an effective rate of 18.2%).

How much do waiters or waitresses make per month in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

On the median annual salary of $42,930, gross monthly income is $3,578. After federal, FICA, and Michigan state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,925 per month (or $1,350 every two weeks).

Is $42,930 a good salary in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

At $42,930, the median salary for waiters or waitresses is 51.8% of the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI median household income ($82,874). It is 10% below the $47,570 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 95.5, so prices here run 4.5% below the U.S. average.