<P> The American federal government requires a wage of at least $2.13 per hour be paid to employees that receive at least $30 per month in tips . If wages and tips do not equal the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour during any week, the employer is required to increase cash wages to compensate . As of May 2017, the average hourly wage--including tips--for a restaurant employee in the United States that received tip income was $11.82 . </P> <P> Though the vast majority of employers are bound to the federal minimum wage, some states have chosen to increase the tipped minimum wage above the federal requirement . Seven states (and the territory of Guam) apply the same minimum wage to tipped and non-tipped employees . The other 42 states--including those without state minimum wage laws--have a lower minimum wage for tipped employees than for traditional employees, and require employers to make up for any wages that fall below the minimum wage . Hawaii, which has the highest - paid waiters and waitresses in the country (mean wage: $17.84 / hour) has a minimum wage of $8.50 for tipped employees . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> State </Th> <Th> Minimum Tipped Wage </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Alabama </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Alaska </Td> <Td> $9.84 </Td> <Td> Same for tipped and non-tipped employees </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Arizona </Td> <Td> $7.50 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $10.50 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Arkansas </Td> <Td> $2.63 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $8.50 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> California </Td> <Td> $10.50 or $11.00 </Td> <Td> Same for tipped and non-tipped employees (26 + employees pays higher rate) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Colorado </Td> <Td> $7.18 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $10.20 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Connecticut </Td> <Td> $6.38 </Td> <Td> Bartenders' minimum wage is $8.23 / hour, tipped wage plus tips must reach $10.10 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Delaware </Td> <Td> $2.23 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $8.25 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> District of Columbia </Td> <Td> $3.33 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $12.50 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Florida </Td> <Td> $5.23 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $8.25 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Georgia </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hawaii </Td> <Td> $9.35 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $10.10 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Idaho </Td> <Td> $3.35 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Illinois </Td> <Td> $4.95 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $8.25 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Indiana </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Iowa </Td> <Td> $4.35 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Kansas </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Kentucky </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Louisiana </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Maine </Td> <Td> $5.00 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $10.00 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Massachusetts </Td> <Td> $2.63 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Maryland </Td> <Td> $3.63 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $9.25 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Michigan </Td> <Td> $3.52 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $9.25 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Minnesota </Td> <Td> $9.65 or $7.87 </Td> <Td> Same for tipped and non-tipped employees . Lower wage for employers making under $500,000 gross sales . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Mississippi </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Missouri </Td> <Td> $3.93 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $7.85 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Montana </Td> <Td> $8.30 or $4.00 </Td> <Td> Same for tipped and non-tipped employees . Lower wage for employers not covered by FLSA and earning less than $110,000 in gross sales . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Nebraska </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $9.00 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Nevada </Td> <Td> $8.25 </Td> <Td> Same for tipped and non-tipped employees . Minimum wage is $7.25 when it is accompanied by health insurance benefits . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> New Hampshire </Td> <Td> $3.26 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> New Jersey </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $8.60 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> New Mexico </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $7.50 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> New York </Td> <Td> $8.65 to $7.50 </Td> <Td> tipped wage varies widely by industry </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> North Carolina </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> North Dakota </Td> <Td> $4.86 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ohio </Td> <Td> $4.15 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $8.30 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Oklahoma </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Oregon </Td> <Td> $10.25 to $11.25 </Td> <Td> Same for tipped and non-tipped employees </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Pennsylvania </Td> <Td> $2.83 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Rhode Island </Td> <Td> $3.89 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $10.10 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> South Carolina </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> South Dakota </Td> <Td> $4.325 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $8.85 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Tennessee </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Texas </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Utah </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Vermont </Td> <Td> $5.25 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $10.50 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Virginia </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Washington </Td> <Td> $11.50 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> West Virginia </Td> <Td> $2.62 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $8.75 / h </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Wisconsin </Td> <Td> $2.33 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Wyoming </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Puerto Rico </Td> <Td> $2.13 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> US Virgin Islands </Td> <Td> $3.34 </Td> <Td> tipped wage plus tips must reach $8.35 / h </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> State </Th> <Th> Minimum Tipped Wage </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr>

States where servers make less than minimum wage
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