Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012

35-0000 Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations (Major Group)

This major group comprises the following occupations: Chefs and Head Cooks ; First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers ; Cooks, Fast Food ; Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria ; Cooks, Private Household ; Cooks, Restaurant ; Cooks, Short Order ; Cooks, All Other ; Food Preparation Workers ; Bartenders ; Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food ; Counter Attendants, Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop ; Waiters and Waitresses ; Food Servers, Nonrestaurant ; Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers ; Dishwashers ; Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop ; Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other

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 major group:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
11,546,880 0.1 % $10.28 $21,380 0.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for this major group:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $7.84 $8.38 $9.10 $11.11 $14.60
Annual Wage (2) $16,310 $17,430 $18,930 $23,120 $30,360

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)
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 8,173,590 91.47 $9.88 $20,550
Special Food Services 473,910 80.21 $11.33 $23,560
Traveler Accommodation 442,000 25.39 $12.47 $25,930
Elementary and Secondary Schools 390,850 4.72 $11.30 $23,510
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 300,140 85.77 $10.09 $20,980

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 8,173,590 91.47 $9.88 $20,550
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 300,140 85.77 $10.09 $20,980
Special Food Services 473,910 80.21 $11.33 $23,560
Rooming and Boarding Houses 4,620 41.05 $10.87 $22,610
Traveler Accommodation 442,000 25.39 $12.47 $25,930

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures 60 0.28 $19.23 $39,990
Rail Transportation 330 0.15 $18.91 $39,340
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 12,570 0.62 $18.50 $38,470
Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation 2,060 5.21 $16.16 $33,610
State Government (OES Designation) 17,260 0.78 $15.71 $32,670

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 1,297,190 90.69 1.02 $10.75 $22,350
Texas 941,950 89.04 1.00 $9.52 $19,810
Florida 766,940 105.44 1.19 $10.37 $21,560
New York 658,560 77.09 0.87 $11.24 $23,380
Pennsylvania 470,710 84.11 0.95 $10.47 $21,770




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)
Nevada 164,220 145.69 1.64 $11.84 $24,620
Hawaii 72,280 122.89 1.39 $12.27 $25,520
Florida 766,940 105.44 1.19 $10.37 $21,560
Montana 44,960 103.97 1.17 $9.82 $20,430
Rhode Island 45,380 100.18 1.13 $10.66 $22,180




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 48,800 74.65 0.84 $13.22 $27,490
Hawaii 72,280 122.89 1.39 $12.27 $25,520
Massachusetts 275,120 85.92 0.97 $12.24 $25,460
Vermont 23,230 79.00 0.89 $12.14 $25,260
Washington 238,060 86.13 0.97 $11.98 $24,910





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 364,410 70.66 0.80 $12.06 $25,090
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 336,370 86.89 0.98 $10.46 $21,750
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 276,370 75.91 0.86 $10.60 $22,050
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 217,480 82.36 0.93 $9.75 $20,280
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 197,110 87.15 0.98 $9.78 $20,340
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 180,900 77.19 0.87 $11.77 $24,490
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 172,130 82.08 0.93 $9.80 $20,380
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 156,240 90.32 1.02 $10.70 $22,250
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 142,310 81.33 0.92 $10.08 $20,980
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 142,030 77.91 0.88 $11.28 $23,470