Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a waiter or waitress make in Scranton-, PA?

In the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metropolitan area, waiters or waitresses earned a median of $29,770 a year ($14.31 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 3,200 of these jobs there. That is 36% below the $46,330 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $16,850 and $60,200; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Pennsylvania tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $25,186 in take-home pay.

Waiter or waitress pay in Scranton-, PA at a glance

Median salary

$29,770$14.31 per hour · $2,481 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$16,850$8.10/hr
25th percentile$23,550$11.32/hr
75th percentile$43,440$20.89/hr
90th percentile$60,200$28.94/hr
Jobs in this metro3,200Location quotient 0.86 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here36% belowAll-jobs median $46,330
Against Pennsylvania14% belowStatewide median $34,690
Against the U.S.15% belowNational median $35,230

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Waiter or waitress salary in Scranton-, PA after taxes

$29,770
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$29,770
Net 85%
Fed 5%
PA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$25,186After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,099Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$969Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,392 / yr
Pennsylvania state income tax$914 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,277 / yr

Waiters or waitresses pay range in Scranton-, PA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What waiters or waitresses earned in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (PA)
10th percentile$8.10/hr$1,404$16,850$14,969
25th percentile$11.32/hr$1,963$23,550$20,280
MedianMedian$14.31/hr$2,481$29,770$25,186
75th percentile$20.89/hr$3,620$43,440$35,750
90th percentile$28.94/hr$5,017$60,200$48,703

Is $29,770 a good salary in Scranton-, PA?

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$65,158Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.66.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household45.7%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 Scranton-, PA: common questions

What is the median salary for waiters or waitresses in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

The BLS median annual wage for waiters or waitresses in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area was $29,770 in May 2025, about $2,481 a month or $14.31 an hour. Statewide, the Pennsylvania median for this job is $34,690, so the metro pays 14% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for waiters or waitresses in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

The median hourly wage for waiters or waitresses in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA was $14.31 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $8.10 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.94.

How many waiters or waitresses work in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

BLS estimated 3,200 jobs for waiters or waitresses in the metro in May 2025, or 12.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.86 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for waiters or waitresses in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

BLS wage estimates for waiters or waitresses in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA run from $16,850 at the 10th percentile to $23,550 at the 25th, $43,440 at the 75th, and $60,200 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do waiters or waitresses take home after taxes in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

On a median gross salary of $29,770, an estimated $25,186 lands in net take-home pay per year ($969 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Pennsylvania in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,584 (an effective rate of 15.4%).

How much do waiters or waitresses make per month in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

On the median annual salary of $29,770, gross monthly income is $2,481. After federal, FICA, and Pennsylvania state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,099 per month (or $969 every two weeks).

Is $29,770 a good salary in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

At $29,770, the median salary for waiters or waitresses is 45.7% of the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA median household income ($65,158). It is 36% below the $46,330 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.6, so prices here run 6.4% below the U.S. average.