Food Service · Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.
This profile is intended as career exploration guidance based on federal labor data. Actual job requirements, salaries, and opportunities vary by employer and location.
Entry Salary
$20–25k
First 1–2 years
Peak Salary
$68–80k
10+ years experience
Job Outlook
-0.7% · Declining
Projected decline of -0.7% from 2024 to 2034; about 457 openings projected per year.
Time to Start
1–2 years
College degree typical
Salary data sourced from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) May 2024. Actual compensation varies by location, experience, employer, and specialization.
Entry-Level Waitresses
Waiters and Waitresses
Experienced Waiters and Waitresses
Senior Waiters and Waitresses
Director of Food Service
You prioritize Relationships
This career is strongly aligned with Relationships — a core work value that shapes how people approach their career decisions.
You're strong in Service Orientation
Service Orientation is a top skill for this career, and it plays to what students like you naturally do best.
Good fit for your timeline
This career typically requires short-term training (less than 1 year), which matches common student preparation goals.
Browse schools offering programs in this field
We don't have school data for this specific program yet. Try searching for related programs:
Browse all schools →External resources with detailed training and outlook data: