Average Waiter / Waitress Salary in Zimbabwe for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Waiter / Waitress salary for 2024 in Zimbabwe and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the Zimbabwean dollar. To keep things simple, we are using the ZWL currency code instead of the currency symbol $.

How Much Does a Waiter / Waitress Make in Zimbabwe?

A Waiter / Waitress working in Zimbabwe will typically earn around 802,400 ZWL per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 369,900 ZWL to the highest average salary of 1,273,300 ZWL.

Average Annual Salary
802,400 ZWL
Average Monthly Salary
66,866 ZWL

Lowest Annual Salary
369,900 ZWL
Lowest Monthly Salary
30,825 ZWL

Highest Annual Salary
1,273,300 ZWL
Highest Monthly Salary
106,108 ZWL

These are average salaries for a Waiter / Waitress in Zimbabwe and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Waiter / Waitress to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Waiter / Waitress salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Waiter / Waitress Salaries in Zimbabwe

So we've looked at the average salaries a Waiter / Waitress will earn in Zimbabwe. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Waiter / Waitress can earn between 369,900 ZWL and 1,273,300 ZWL on average in Zimbabwe. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Waiter / Waitress in Zimbabwe is 866,900 ZWL. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 866,900 ZWL, and 50% of the population earn more than 866,900 ZWL.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Waiter / Waitress salary in Zimbabwe, 25% of the population are earning less than 556,000 ZWL while 75% of the population earn more than 556,000 ZWL.

75% of the population earn less than 1,159,000 ZWL, and 25% of the population earn more than 1,159,000 ZWL.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Waiter / Waitress Salary by Experience Level in Zimbabwe

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average waiter / waitress salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Waiter / Waitress in Zimbabwe that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 417,100 ZWL.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Waiter / Waitress salary would increase to 559,000 ZWL.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Waiter / Waitress, the average salary would be 828,400 ZWL.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 1,009,600 ZWL.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Waiter / Waitress with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 1,099,200 ZWL.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Waiter / Waitress with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 1,191,100 ZWL.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
417,100 ZWL
2-5 Years +34%
559,000 ZWL
5-10 Years +48%
828,400 ZWL
10-15 Years +22%
1,009,600 ZWL
15-20 Years +9%
1,099,200 ZWL
20+ Years +8%
1,191,100 ZWL

Waiter / Waitress Salary by Education Level in Zimbabwe

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Waiter / Waitress in Zimbabwe based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • High School. A Waiter / Waitress in Zimbabwe with a high school education can earn an average salary of 478,000 ZWL.

  • Certificate or Diploma. A Waiter / Waitress in Zimbabwe with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 748,600 ZWL.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Waiter / Waitress in Zimbabwe with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 1,259,300 ZWL.

Average Salary by Education Chart

High School
478,000 ZWL
Certificate or Diploma +57%
748,600 ZWL
Bachelor's Degree +68%
1,259,300 ZWL

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in Zimbabwe is around 1,080,000 to 3,250,000 ZWL and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Waiter / Waitress Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In Zimbabwe, a male waiter / waitress will earn an average of 754,900 ZWL, while a female waiter / waitress will earn around 849,200 ZWL.

This means that a male waiter / waitress earns approximately 11% less than a female waiter / waitress for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in Zimbabwe

Male
754,900 ZWL
Female +11%
849,200 ZWL

Waiter / Waitress Average Pay Raise in Zimbabwe

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Waiter / Waitress in Zimbabwe is around 5% every 29 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in Zimbabwe is around 4% every 29 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 5 ÷ 29 ) × 12  = 2%

What this means is that a Waiter / Waitress in Zimbabwe can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 2% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in Zimbabwe for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in Zimbabwe.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
9%
Energy
9%
Information Technology
9%
Healthcare
9%
Travel
9%
Construction
9%
Education
9%

Waiter / Waitress Bonus and Incentive Rates in Zimbabwe

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Waiter / Waitress is a low bonus based job, with 15% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

85% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4%.

Received Bonus
15%
No Bonus
85%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in Zimbabwe earn approximately 25% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
2,893,600 ZWL
Private Sector -25%
2,314,800 ZWL

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Waiter / Waitress

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Waiter / Waitress in Zimbabwe.

Job Title Category Salary
All Rounder Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,012,100 ZWL
Assistant Executive Housekeeper Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 778,200 ZWL
Assistant Food and Beverage Controller Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,476,700 ZWL
Assistant Food and Beverage Director Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 3,192,300 ZWL
Assistant Hospitality Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 3,432,600 ZWL
Assistant Storekeeper Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 671,000 ZWL
Assistant Tour Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,632,100 ZWL
Baker and Pastrycook Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 938,700 ZWL
Bakery Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,003,200 ZWL
Bakery Superintendent Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,273,300 ZWL
Banquet Captain Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,053,900 ZWL
Banquet Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,405,700 ZWL
Banquet Server Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 819,000 ZWL
Bar Attendant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 836,500 ZWL
Bar Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,835,700 ZWL
Bar Supervisor Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,196,800 ZWL
Barista Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,067,300 ZWL
Bartender Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,032,800 ZWL
Bellman Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 798,900 ZWL
Beverage Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,990,300 ZWL
Bistro Attendant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 838,100 ZWL
Buffet Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,500,800 ZWL
Buffet Host Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 843,600 ZWL
Buffet Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,955,300 ZWL
Butcher and Slaughterer Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 695,400 ZWL
Cafeteria Assistant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 884,700 ZWL
Cafeteria Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,655,500 ZWL
Cafeteria Supervisor Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,212,800 ZWL
Cake Decorator Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,021,800 ZWL
Casino Shift Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,854,700 ZWL
Chain Store Customer Support Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,345,400 ZWL
Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,655,500 ZWL
Chef De Cuisine Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,362,300 ZWL
Club Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 3,061,300 ZWL
Cluster Director Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 3,805,100 ZWL
Cluster Revenue Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 3,118,900 ZWL
Cocktail Server Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 816,900 ZWL
Coffee Shop Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,819,600 ZWL
Concierge Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 816,900 ZWL
Confectionery Baker Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 983,100 ZWL
Conference and Sales Coordinator Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,450,700 ZWL
Conference Services Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,942,700 ZWL
Cook Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,450,700 ZWL
Corporate Sous Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,281,800 ZWL
Corporate Travel Consultant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,435,600 ZWL
Croupier Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,165,300 ZWL
Culinary Assistant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 774,200 ZWL
Culinary Associate Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 732,400 ZWL
Demi Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,560,800 ZWL
Dietary Aide Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,570,900 ZWL
Dining Room Supervisor Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,428,800 ZWL
Dishwasher Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 665,300 ZWL
Duty Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,038,500 ZWL
Events Coordinator Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,212,800 ZWL
Executive Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,882,700 ZWL
Executive Pastry Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,476,700 ZWL
Fast Food Cook Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,296,900 ZWL
Fast Food Shift Supervisor Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,428,800 ZWL
Fine Dining Cook Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,389,200 ZWL
Fine Dining Restaurant Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,447,200 ZWL
Fleet Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 4,032,100 ZWL
Food and Beverage Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,964,800 ZWL
Food Consultant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,543,000 ZWL
Food Safety Coordinator Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,955,300 ZWL
Food Server Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 814,100 ZWL
Food Service Director Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 3,192,300 ZWL
Food Service Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 3,312,100 ZWL
Food Service Sales Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,942,700 ZWL
Food Service Worker Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 844,100 ZWL
Front Desk Agent Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 931,700 ZWL
Front Desk Clerk Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 946,000 ZWL
Front Office Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,703,200 ZWL
Guest Service Executive Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,724,700 ZWL
Guest Service Representative Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,114,700 ZWL
Head Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,003,200 ZWL
Head Concierge Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,235,600 ZWL
Hospitality Director Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 4,667,500 ZWL
Hostess / Host Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 975,700 ZWL
Hotel Desk Clerk Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 908,200 ZWL
Hotel Maid Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 684,900 ZWL
Hotel Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 4,510,700 ZWL
Hotel Sales Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 3,672,500 ZWL
Hotel Service Supervisor Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,653,700 ZWL
Hotel Staff Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 874,900 ZWL
Inventory Coordinator Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,037,600 ZWL
Kitchen Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,524,300 ZWL
Kitchen Staff Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 870,700 ZWL
Kitchen Supervisor Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,345,400 ZWL
Line Cook Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,500,800 ZWL
Luggage Porter Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 710,500 ZWL
Motel Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,724,700 ZWL
Pastry Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,405,700 ZWL
Pastrycooking and Baking Assistant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 878,900 ZWL
Production Operator Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,357,900 ZWL
Quality, Health and Safety Coordinator Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,500,800 ZWL
Receptionist Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 965,000 ZWL
Regional Restaurant Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 3,792,300 ZWL
Restaurant Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 3,047,800 ZWL
Restaurant Server Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 846,500 ZWL
Room Reservations Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 3,144,700 ZWL
Room Service Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,819,600 ZWL
Sous Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,882,700 ZWL
Special Events Coordinator Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,811,000 ZWL
Supervisor of Food Services Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,173,000 ZWL
Tour Consultant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,411,500 ZWL
Tour Guide Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,594,500 ZWL
Tour Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,086,500 ZWL
Travel Agent Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 1,703,200 ZWL
Travel Consultant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 2,352,500 ZWL

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in Zimbabwe, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Bulawayo 874,500 ZWL
Harare 902,100 ZWL

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