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Occupational Employment Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2017

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)
832,690 1.2 % $11.49 $23,900 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $8.54 $9.41 $10.93 $12.92 $15.45
Annual Wage (2) $17,770 $19,580 $22,730 $26,880 $32,130

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 414,180 3.94 $11.04 $22,960
Food and Beverage Stores (4451 and 4452 only) 178,500 6.10 $11.65 $24,230
Special Food Services 49,790 7.17 $12.10 $25,160
Elementary and Secondary Schools 27,630 0.33 $13.50 $28,070
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 21,480 1.32 $11.19 $23,280

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 49,790 7.17 $12.10 $25,160
Food and Beverage Stores (4451 and 4452 only) 178,500 6.10 $11.65 $24,230
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 414,180 3.94 $11.04 $22,960
Other Food Manufacturing 6,530 3.01 $11.59 $24,100
Rooming and Boarding Houses 320 2.71 $11.56 $24,040

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services 70 0.03 $15.74 $32,740
Home Health Care Services 420 0.03 $14.08 $29,280
Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses 100 0.02 $13.66 $28,420
Elementary and Secondary Schools 27,630 0.33 $13.50 $28,070
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (8) (8) $13.45 $27,980

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 108,890 6.52 1.12 $12.82 $26,670
Florida 62,530 7.43 1.27 $11.33 $23,560
New York 59,720 6.49 1.11 $12.70 $26,420
Texas 56,590 4.76 0.81 $11.14 $23,180
Louisiana 36,320 19.09 3.27 $8.91 $18,530




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 36,320 19.09 3.27 $8.91 $18,530
Alaska 4,650 14.60 2.50 $13.52 $28,120
Hawaii 8,120 12.83 2.20 $12.74 $26,510
Maine 7,600 12.69 2.17 $11.60 $24,120
Nevada 10,390 7.93 1.36 $12.67 $26,360




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 20,090 6.30 1.08 $14.49 $30,130
District of Columbia 3,630 5.12 0.88 $14.35 $29,840
Massachusetts 16,180 4.59 0.78 $13.83 $28,770
Connecticut 12,160 7.35 1.26 $13.52 $28,120
Alaska 4,650 14.60 2.50 $13.52 $28,120



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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-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 45,830 6.85 1.17 $12.50 $26,000
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 28,500 6.43 1.10 $12.47 $25,930
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division 21,740 5.94 1.02 $11.77 $24,480
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 18,850 7.20 1.23 $10.16 $21,130
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 14,800 5.05 0.86 $11.38 $23,670
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 14,350 5.70 0.97 $11.96 $24,890
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 11,880 8.29 1.42 $12.26 $25,500
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 11,010 4.42 0.76 $10.78 $22,420
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 10,140 5.12 0.88 $11.37 $23,650
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 9,860 17.83 3.05 $9.00 $18,710


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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)
Fairbanks, AK 970 26.38 4.52 $14.37 $29,890
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA 3,850 22.07 3.78 $8.80 $18,290
Lafayette, LA 4,200 21.43 3.67 $8.85 $18,410
Hammond, LA 890 20.93 3.58 $8.71 $18,110
Ocean City, NJ 810 20.80 3.56 $11.17 $23,230
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 9,860 17.83 3.05 $9.00 $18,710
Baton Rouge, LA 6,950 17.73 3.04 $8.98 $18,680
Lake Charles, LA 1,980 17.70 3.03 $8.87 $18,450
Alexandria, LA 1,040 17.26 2.95 $8.78 $18,260
Warner Robins, GA 1,080 15.52 2.66 $9.62 $20,000