Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010

35-2021 Food Preparation Workers

Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
802,650 1.2 % $9.93 $20,660 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $7.65 $8.29 $9.18 $11.08 $13.68
Annual Wage (2) $15,900 $17,230 $19,100 $23,040 $28,450

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Full-Service Restaurants 202,720 4.54 $9.66 $20,090
Limited-Service Eating Places 171,720 4.27 $8.82 $18,350
Grocery Stores 112,290 4.54 $10.59 $22,020
Elementary and Secondary Schools 60,920 0.71 $11.22 $23,340
Nursing Care Facilities 43,700 2.64 $10.06 $20,920

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Special Food Services 42,290 7.68 $10.42 $21,670
Specialty Food Stores 10,490 4.95 $9.77 $20,330
Full-Service Restaurants 202,720 4.54 $9.66 $20,090
Grocery Stores 112,290 4.54 $10.59 $22,020
Limited-Service Eating Places 171,720 4.27 $8.82 $18,350

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Beverage Manufacturing 60 0.04 $12.92 $26,870
Home Health Care Services 280 0.03 $12.89 $26,800
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 4,890 0.17 $12.58 $26,160
Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services 30 0.02 $12.46 $25,920
Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land 40 0.39 $12.35 $25,690

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 99,760 7.13 1.13 $10.17 $21,150
New York 72,970 8.75 1.39 $10.94 $22,740
Florida 53,520 7.53 1.19 $9.64 $20,060
Texas 41,280 4.09 0.65 $8.94 $18,590
Pennsylvania 38,650 7.05 1.12 $10.09 $20,990




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Louisiana 30,240 16.50 2.61 $8.49 $17,660
Mississippi 15,380 14.37 2.28 $8.36 $17,390
South Dakota 4,440 11.46 1.81 $8.92 $18,560
Hawaii 6,170 10.79 1.71 $10.86 $22,590
Montana 4,060 9.57 1.52 $8.80 $18,300




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 2,810 4.39 0.70 $12.75 $26,510
Nevada 7,890 7.09 1.12 $12.21 $25,390
Alaska 2,760 8.96 1.42 $11.80 $24,550
Connecticut 13,460 8.42 1.33 $11.75 $24,430
Massachusetts 19,010 6.10 0.97 $11.34 $23,580

Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 38,980 7.82 1.24 $11.59 $24,110
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 25,790 6.76 1.07 $9.78 $20,350
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division 20,820 5.88 0.93 $10.01 $20,820
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 12,580 5.50 0.87 $10.58 $22,000
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 11,280 6.25 0.99 $10.99 $22,860
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 11,000 8.00 1.27 $10.32 $21,460
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 10,890 4.95 0.78 $10.04 $20,880
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 10,280 6.20 0.98 $11.71 $24,370
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA 10,050 19.93 3.16 $8.85 $18,400
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 9,850 7.95 1.26 $9.95 $20,690




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA 10,050 19.93 3.16 $8.85 $18,400
Hattiesburg, MS 1,060 19.32 3.06 $8.77 $18,240
Lake Charles, LA 1,630 18.68 2.96 $8.47 $17,630
Lafayette, LA 2,560 18.07 2.86 $8.40 $17,470
Peoria, IL 2,600 15.58 2.47 $9.26 $19,260
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS 1,510 14.91 2.36 $8.72 $18,130
Pascagoula, MS 780 13.98 2.21 $8.27 $17,210
Ithaca, NY 670 13.56 2.15 $10.41 $21,650
Lawrence, KS 600 13.07 2.07 $8.53 $17,740
Baton Rouge, LA 4,620 13.00 2.06 $8.39 $17,460