Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
What does a Waiters and Waitresses salary really buy you in Vermont?
Vermont is near the US average cost of livingData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Vermont's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 101.1, meaning prices are 1.1% higher the national average. A Waiters and Waitresses earning $59,140 in Vermont has the equivalent purchasing power of $58,496 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Vermont's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $29,690 | $29,366 | $-323 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $34,840 | $34,460 | $-379 |
| Median (P50) | $59,140 | $58,496 | $-643 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $78,520 | $77,665 | $-854 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $89,330 | $88,358 | $-971 |
Vermont's cost of living is close to the national average, so $59,140 keeps most of its value at $58,496 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
With an RPP of 101.1, Vermont is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Waiters and Waitresses is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After adjusting for Vermont's cost of living, $59,140 nominal nets out to $58,497 in real purchasing power — a small 1.1% loss. The state's cost profile is close enough to average that COL alone shouldn't drive location decisions for this Waiters and Waitresses.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Waiters and Waitresses, Vermont places #1 of 51 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Waiters and Waitresses salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Vermont ranks #1 out of 51 states for Waiters and Waitresses after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Waiters and Waitresses take-home pay in Vermont after taxes →
A Waiters and Waitresses in Vermont earns a median salary of $59,140 per year. After adjusting for Vermont's cost of living (RPP=101.1), the real purchasing power is $58,496 — a -1.1% difference.
Vermont's cost of living is 1.1% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Vermont is 101.1 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Waiters and Waitresses in Vermont: $59,140 x (100 / 101.1) = $58,496. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.