Waiter or waitress pay in Traverse City, MI at a glance
Median salary
$41,380$19.89 per hour · $3,448 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Waiter or waitress salary in Traverse City, MI after taxes
Waiters or waitresses pay range in Traverse City, MI, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Traverse City, MI metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (MI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $12.90/hr | $2,235 | $26,820 | $22,807 |
| 25th percentile | $14.51/hr | $2,515 | $30,180 | $25,398 |
| MedianMedian | $19.89/hr | $3,448 | $41,380 | $33,921 |
| 75th percentile | $28.37/hr | $4,918 | $59,010 | $47,337 |
| 90th percentile | $30.78/hr | $5,335 | $64,020 | $51,150 |
Is $41,380 a good salary in Traverse City, MI?
It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for waiters or waitresses next to both.
Waiters or waitresses pay in Michigan and across the U.S.
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.
Waiter or waitress pay in Traverse City, MI: common questions
What is the median salary for waiters or waitresses in Traverse City, MI?
The BLS median annual wage for waiters or waitresses in the Traverse City, MI metro area was $41,380 in May 2025, about $3,448 a month or $19.89 an hour. Statewide, the Michigan median for this job is $37,760, so the metro pays 10% above the state.
What is the hourly pay for waiters or waitresses in Traverse City, MI?
The median hourly wage for waiters or waitresses in Traverse City, MI was $19.89 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.90 an hour and one in ten earned more than $30.78.
How many waiters or waitresses work in Traverse City, MI?
BLS estimated 1,610 jobs for waiters or waitresses in the metro in May 2025, or 23.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.61 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for waiters or waitresses in Traverse City, MI?
BLS wage estimates for waiters or waitresses in Traverse City, MI run from $26,820 at the 10th percentile to $30,180 at the 25th, $59,010 at the 75th, and $64,020 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do waiters or waitresses take home after taxes in Traverse City, MI?
On a median gross salary of $41,380, an estimated $33,921 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,305 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Michigan in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,459 (an effective rate of 18%).
How much do waiters or waitresses make per month in Traverse City, MI?
On the median annual salary of $41,380, gross monthly income is $3,448. After federal, FICA, and Michigan state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,827 per month (or $1,305 every two weeks).
Is $41,380 a good salary in Traverse City, MI?
At $41,380, the median salary for waiters or waitresses is 51.2% of the Traverse City, MI median household income ($80,889). It is 13% below the $47,470 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.4, so prices here run 6.6% below the U.S. average.