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Waiters and Waitresses: California vs Washington

On median pay alone, Washington pays $20,050 a year more than California for this job. That does not settle which place leaves you better off, because state tax, housing and other costs still matter, and state tax is fully calculated here only for states with no wage income tax or a verified 2026 table in this build.

CaliforniaWashington
Median annual salary$36,080$56,130
Mean annual salary$44,600$60,590
Median hourly wage$17$27
25th to 75th percentile$34,900 to $39,870$45,910 to $73,840
Employment$229,970$45,400

Waiters and Waitresses in California · Waiters and Waitresses in Washington · Paycheck calculator