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The Trust Project

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(Photo provided by Gigafact.)

Yes.

Waiters and waitresses in the Denver metropolitan area make an average of $39,170 annually, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2023, the most recent available. 

Nonrestaurant food servers make $39,488 while bartenders make $39,345, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment data shows. These numbers are close to the average salary for all food preparation and serving-related occupations in the Denver metro, at $39,780.

Among wait staff salaries, the lowest 10% earn $28,392 while the top 10% earn $66,477. 

The average full-time salary of all employees in the Denver metro area is around $76,000. 

To afford annual living expenses in Denver, an adult with no children must earn $27.01 per hour, or around $56,000 per year. A couple with no children must each earn $18.33 per hour, for a total household income of roughly $76,250 annually. 

See full source list below.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

The Colorado Sun partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims.

References:

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO, Bureau of Labor Statistics, accessed in March 2025. Source link.

Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, 2023, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, accessed in March 2025. Source link.

Living Wage Calculation for Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, accessed March 2025. Source link.

Type of Story: Fact-Check

Checks a specific statement or set of statements asserted as fact.

Por recently graduated from CU Boulder with a master’s degree in journalism and is interested in writing about the environment and exploring local stories. When not working on some form of writing, Por is either looking for Thai food or petting...