Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for food preparation and serving related workers, all other in the U.S. is $35,840 ($17.23 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $35,840
- Mean annual wage
- $36,810
- Median hourly wage
- $17.23
- Employment
- 84,630
84,630 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $25,470 | $12.25 |
| 25th percentile | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Median (50th) | $35,840 | $17.23 |
| 75th percentile | $39,880 | $19.17 |
| 90th percentile | $47,550 | $22.86 |
Highest-paying states for food preparation and serving related workers, all other
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | $46,170 | — |
| Hawaii | $43,540 | 410 |
| Oregon | $39,080 | 600 |
| Illinois | $38,880 | 2,720 |
| District of Columbia | $38,580 | 40 |
| New Hampshire | $38,210 | 370 |
| Indiana | $38,160 | — |
| Arizona | $37,600 | 1,060 |
| Maryland | $37,500 | 3,540 |
| Utah | $37,180 | 290 |
Lowest-paying states
- West Virginia: $21,640 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $21,820 median annual wage
- South Carolina: $22,230 median annual wage
- Alabama: $22,990 median annual wage
- North Dakota: $23,410 median annual wage
About this occupation
All food preparation and serving related workers not listed separately.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: No formal educational credential
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 25.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 38.8% |
| Some college, no degree | 19.4% |
| Associate's degree | 3.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 9.3% |
| Master's degree | 1.6% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 1.6% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.