Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Waiters and Waitresses actually take home in Colorado?
4.4% flat rate — 19.6% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Waiters and Waitresses earning $44,860 in Colorado (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $44,860 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$3,399 | 7.6% |
| Colorado State Income Tax | -$1,973 | 4.4% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$2,781 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$650 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$8,804 | 19.6% |
| Take-Home Pay | $36,055 | 80.4% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Waiters and Waitresses in Colorado.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $30,800 | -$5,423 | $25,376 | 17.6% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $32,610 | -$5,858 | $26,751 | 18.0% |
| Median (P50) | $44,860 | -$8,804 | $36,055 | 19.6% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $66,360 | -$14,436 | $51,923 | 21.8% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $78,160 | -$18,454 | $59,705 | 23.6% |
After federal income tax ($3,399), state tax ($1,973), and FICA ($3,431), a Waiters and Waitresses in Colorado takes home $36,055 per year — or $3,004 per month. The effective tax rate of 19.6% is relatively low compared to the national range.
A Waiters and Waitresses in Colorado faces an effective total tax rate of only 19.6%, keeping 80.4% of every gross dollar. That leaves $36,055 net out of $44,860 gross — a favorable outcome compared to states with combined rates above 30%.
Colorado applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Waiters and Waitresses salary that contributes $1,974 to the 4.4% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Waiters and Waitresses salary is $3,399 (39%), but combined state ($1,974, 22%) + FICA ($3,432, 39%) make up the other 61% of the bill.
A Waiters and Waitresses earning this gross in a no-income-tax state (e.g., Texas, Florida) would take home approximately $38,029 — only $1,974 (5.5%) more than in Colorado.
For Waiters and Waitresses after-tax pay, Colorado ranks #9 of 51 states — top quartile. High gross wages or low state-tax burden (or both) drive the strong ranking.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $36,055 net/year works out to $3,005/month or $1,387/bi-weekly for this Waiters and Waitresses in Colorado — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Waiters and Waitresses keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Colorado ranks #9 out of 51 states for Waiters and Waitresses after-tax take-home pay.
A Waiters and Waitresses in Colorado earning a median salary of $44,860 will take home approximately $36,055 per year after federal income tax ($3,399), state income tax ($1,973), and FICA ($3,431). That is $3,004 per month or $1,386 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Waiters and Waitresses in Colorado is 19.6%, broken down as: federal income tax 7.6%, Colorado state tax 4.4%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Colorado has a 4.4% flat rate. On a Waiters and Waitresses's median salary of $44,860, the state income tax amounts to $1,973 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.4%.
After all taxes, a Waiters and Waitresses in Colorado takes home approximately $3,004 per month, or about $17.33 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $44,860 for Waiters and Waitresses in Colorado, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), Colorado state income tax (4.4% flat rate), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $36,055/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR