Average Salary for Food Preparation Workers
SOC 35-2021 · Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Food Preparation Workers in the United States is $34,220 ($16.45/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $23,490 at the 10th percentile to $44,260 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 888,770 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 74.9% since 2014.
Median Annual
$34,220
Mean Annual
$33,940
10th Pct
$23,490
75th Pct
$37,540
Employment
888,770
Salary Distribution
$23k
10th
$29k
25th
$34k
Median
$38k
75th
$44k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $44,120 |
| Napa, CA | $43,260 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $42,830 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $41,980 |
| Boulder, CO | $41,490 |
| Greeley, CO | $41,340 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $40,810 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $39,660 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $39,360 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $39,300 |
| Salinas, CA | $38,670 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $38,270 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $38,240 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $38,200 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $38,130 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Washington | $38,950 |
| Colorado | $38,670 |
| District of Columbia | $38,440 |
| California | $38,150 |
| Massachusetts | $37,780 |
| Hawaii | $37,240 |
| Vermont | $37,030 |
| Alaska | $36,710 |
| Oregon | $36,390 |
| New York | $36,030 |
| Maine | $35,730 |
| North Dakota | $35,700 |
| Arizona | $35,480 |
| Rhode Island | $35,460 |
| Connecticut | $35,420 |
| Florida | $35,190 |
| New Hampshire | $35,170 |
| New Jersey | $34,910 |
| Minnesota | $34,820 |
| Wyoming | $34,380 |
| Maryland | $34,310 |
| Illinois | $34,180 |
| Nevada | $33,910 |
| Delaware | $33,280 |
| Georgia | $32,890 |
| Michigan | $32,810 |
| Wisconsin | $32,810 |
| Nebraska | $32,420 |
| Utah | $32,090 |
| Ohio | $31,590 |
| Virginia | $31,500 |
| Idaho | $31,440 |
| Montana | $31,420 |
| Missouri | $30,530 |
| Pennsylvania | $30,150 |
| Indiana | $30,090 |
| South Carolina | $30,050 |
| Iowa | $29,840 |
| South Dakota | $29,820 |
| North Carolina | $29,410 |
| Kansas | $29,410 |
| New Mexico | $29,350 |
| Tennessee | $28,980 |
| Texas | $28,660 |
| Virgin Islands | $28,110 |
| West Virginia | $27,610 |
| Arkansas | $27,330 |
| Oklahoma | $26,450 |
| Alabama | $25,510 |
| Kentucky | $24,520 |
| Mississippi | $23,190 |
| Louisiana | $22,900 |
| Guam | $21,990 |
| Puerto Rico | $20,640 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Food Preparation Workers broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Labor Unions and Similar Labor Organizations | $64,630 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | $56,160 |
| Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries | $46,170 |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries | $46,170 |
| Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers | $43,890 |
| Legal Services | $42,630 |
| Other Personal Services | $41,690 |
| Information | $41,680 |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events | $41,360 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $40,180 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $40,120 |
| Personal and Laundry Services | $40,070 |
| Personal Care Services | $40,070 |
| Offices of Physicians | $39,610 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $39,220 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers | $39,210 |
| Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Retailers | $39,150 |
| Casino Hotels | $38,770 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $38,550 |
| Other Schools and Instruction | $38,480 |
| Hospitals | $38,440 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | $38,390 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Retailers | $38,230 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | $38,200 |
| Fuel Dealers | $38,120 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $38,110 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $38,110 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $38,110 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | $38,080 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $37,810 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $37,810 |
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | $37,810 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | $37,670 |
| General Merchandise Retailers | $37,630 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $37,560 |
| Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | $37,470 |
| Amusement Parks and Arcades | $37,460 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $37,270 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $36,920 |
| Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $36,850 |
| Educational Services | $36,740 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | $36,650 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $36,630 |
| Other Miscellaneous Retailers | $36,500 |
| Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities | $36,400 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps | $36,380 |
| Junior Colleges | $36,320 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers | $36,310 |
| Business Schools and Computer and Management Training | $36,240 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $36,210 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $36,210 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $36,210 |
| Educational Services | $36,190 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | $36,170 |
| Home Health Care Services | $36,090 |
| Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | $35,970 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $35,960 |
| Special Food Services | $35,900 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities | $35,810 |
| Beverage Manufacturing | $35,780 |
| Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | $35,780 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $35,720 |
| Construction | $35,700 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $35,700 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | $35,620 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $35,600 |
| Gambling Industries | $35,580 |
| Full-Service Restaurants | $35,540 |
| Miscellaneous Store Retailers (4594 and 4595 only) | $35,530 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $35,500 |
| Traveler Accommodation | $35,430 |
| Accommodation | $35,410 |
| Insurance Carriers | $35,390 |
| Finance and Insurance | $35,390 |
| Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers | $35,390 |
| Other Food Manufacturing | $35,340 |
| Retail Trade | $35,270 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters | $35,250 |
| Performing Arts Companies | $35,250 |
| Insurance Carriers and Related Activities | $35,190 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers | $35,130 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $35,130 |
| Manufacturing | $35,130 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) | $35,120 |
| Technical and Trade Schools | $35,000 |
| Food Manufacturing | $34,860 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water | $34,850 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | $34,840 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services | $34,660 |
| Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | $34,610 |
| Facilities Support Services | $34,600 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $34,560 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $34,560 |
| Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers | $34,490 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $34,210 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $34,130 |
| Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services | $33,970 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $33,800 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $33,500 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $33,500 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $33,390 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities | $33,390 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $33,390 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) | $33,390 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $33,380 |
| Employment Services | $33,340 |
| Dairy Product Manufacturing | $33,280 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | $33,280 |
| Food Services and Drinking Places | $33,280 |
| Civic and Social Organizations | $33,280 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | $33,270 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $33,250 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $33,120 |
| Temporary Help Services | $33,040 |
| Social Assistance | $32,960 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) | $32,820 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $32,750 |
| Wholesale Trade | $32,700 |
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places | $32,680 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation | $32,670 |
| Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | $32,510 |
| Furniture and Home Furnishings Retailers | $32,280 |
| Furniture, Home Furnishings, Electronics, and Appliance Retailers | $32,280 |
| Individual and Family Services | $32,230 |
| RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps | $31,780 |
| Offices of All Other Health Practitioners | $31,650 |
| Child Care Services | $31,420 |
| Religious Organizations | $31,200 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $31,200 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $31,190 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers | $31,170 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers | $31,170 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | $30,960 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $30,720 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $30,720 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery | $30,570 |
| Motion Picture and Video Exhibition | $30,530 |
| Gasoline Stations and Fuel Dealers | $30,350 |
| Gasoline Stations | $30,340 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | $30,200 |
| Other Residential Care Facilities | $30,140 |
| Spectator Sports | $29,880 |
| Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities | $29,680 |
| Building Material and Supplies Dealers | $29,380 |
| Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists | $29,080 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers | $29,040 |
| Sporting Goods Retailers | $29,040 |
| Grantmaking and Giving Services | $28,450 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers | $27,350 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $27,230 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $27,230 |
| Couriers and Messengers | $26,950 |
| Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers | $26,870 |
| Educational Support Services | $24,550 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $34,220 |
| 2023 | $32,420 |
| 2022 | $29,790 |
| 2021 | $28,780 |
| 2020 | $26,070 |
| 2019 | $24,800 |
| 2018 | $23,730 |
| 2017 | $22,730 |
| 2016 | $21,440 |
| 2015 | $20,180 |
| 2014 | $19,560 |