CDCareer Decision

Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Ames, IA

In the 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS dataset, Waiters and Waitresses in Ames, IA have a median annual salary of $22,710, with 1,010 recorded jobs in this area. Recorded earnings range from $15,080 at the 10th percentile to $50,610 at the 90th percentile.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · Data year: 2025 · Last updated: 2026-09-22

Salary overview

Median annual salary

$22,710

Data year: 2025

Hourly median

$10.92

Employment

1,010

Source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS

Salary distribution

$15,080
10th
$15,560
25th
$22,710
Median
$38,580
75th
$50,610
90th

Local compared with national

Ames, IA

$22,710

Median annual · 2025

United States

$35,230

Median annual · 2025

The Ames, IA median is 35.5% below the national median in the available dataset (a difference of $12,520).

Top skills

  1. 1.Service OrientationImportance 3.9
  2. 2.Active ListeningImportance 3.5
  3. 3.SpeakingImportance 3.5
  4. 4.Social PerceptivenessImportance 3.4
  5. 5.CoordinationImportance 3.1
  6. 6.MonitoringImportance 3.0
  7. 7.Critical ThinkingImportance 2.9
  8. 8.Reading ComprehensionImportance 2.8
  9. 9.PersuasionImportance 2.8
  10. 10.Judgment and Decision MakingImportance 2.8
  11. 11.Time ManagementImportance 2.8
  12. 12.Complex Problem SolvingImportance 2.6

Career information

Education and experience

Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
None
Job zone
2

Technology used

  • Blink
  • Compris Advanced Manager's Workstation
  • Compris software
  • Facebook
  • Hospitality Control Solutions Aloha Point-of-Sale
  • Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale
  • MICROS Systems HSI Profits Series
  • NCR Advanced Checkout Solution
  • NCR NeighborhoodPOS
  • The General Store

Common tasks

  • Collect payments from customers.
  • Check patrons' identification to ensure that they meet minimum age requirements for consumption of alcoholic beverages.
  • Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.
  • Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals, and take action to correct any problems.
  • Take orders from patrons for food or beverages.
  • Prepare checks that itemize and total meal costs and sales taxes.
  • Remove dishes and glasses from tables or counters, and take them to kitchen for cleaning.
  • Clean tables or counters after patrons have finished dining.
  • Serve food or beverages to patrons, and prepare or serve specialty dishes at tables as required.
  • Perform cleaning duties, such as sweeping and mopping floors, vacuuming carpet, tidying up server station, taking out trash, or checking and cleaning bathroom.

Related careers

Occupations recorded as related in the dataset. A relationship does not imply a guaranteed transition.

Waiters and Waitresses salary in other locations

Other occupations in Ames, IA