How much do Waiters and Waitresses make in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

Percentile spread

For Waiters and Waitresses, the published 10th percentile is $27,140 and the 90th percentile is $73,590. The difference is $46,450, which is 108.2% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $29,930 to the 75th at $60,570, covers $30,640.

The mean annual wage is $47,040, which sits above the median of $42,930. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI median is 21.9% higher than the national median of $35,230 for Waiters and Waitresses. In 2024 national prices the local median is $44,931, which is 27.5% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 13.7% higher than the Michigan median of $37,760.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI is 95.546, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $42,930 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Waiters and Waitresses at $44,931 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

37 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Waiters and Waitresses. Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI ranks 3rd of 38 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI is 47 miles away, with a median of $44,920 and employment of 930. That median is 4.6% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $48,552, against $44,931 here.
• Kalamazoo-Portage, MI is 52 miles away, with a median of $37,760 and employment of 1,740. That median is 12% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $39,814, against $44,931 here.
• Lansing-East Lansing, MI is 59 miles away, with a median of $38,210 and employment of 2,710. That median is 11% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $40,225, against $44,931 here.

Employment share

Waiters and Waitresses accounts for 1.4% of wage-and-salary employment in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI (8,080 of 598,260). Nationally the occupation is 1.5% of employment (2,270,910 of 155,495,730). The local share is 0.92 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.