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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2019

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 ; Fast Food and Counter Workers ; 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:

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)
13,494,590 0.2 % $12.82 $26,670 0.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for this major group:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $8.62 $9.56 $11.65 $14.31 $18.59
Annual Wage (2) $17,940 $19,890 $24,220 $29,770 $38,660


Industry profile for this occupation:

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 9,728,540 89.94 $12.46 $25,910
Special Food Services 589,260 80.24 $13.97 $29,050
Traveler Accommodation 523,490 25.49 $15.34 $31,900
Food and Beverage Stores (4451 and 4452 only) 393,220 13.51 $13.25 $27,560
Elementary and Secondary Schools 358,000 4.16 $13.31 $27,670

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 9,728,540 89.94 $12.46 $25,910
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 339,700 85.35 $12.86 $26,760
Special Food Services 589,260 80.24 $13.97 $29,050
Rooming and Boarding Houses 3,830 32.80 $13.05 $27,150
Traveler Accommodation 523,490 25.49 $15.34 $31,900

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services 40 0.01 $20.49 $42,630
Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation 810 2.09 $20.37 $42,370
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 12,310 0.61 $20.14 $41,890
Office Administrative Services (8) (8) $20.03 $41,660
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers 70 0.02 $19.60 $40,760


Geographic profile for this occupation:

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 1,627,490 93.63 1.02 $14.77 $30,720
Texas 1,175,750 94.58 1.03 $11.47 $23,860
Florida 950,180 108.05 1.18 $12.50 $26,000
New York 768,040 80.65 0.88 $16.00 $33,290
Illinois 516,360 85.69 0.93 $12.22 $25,420




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 189,200 135.85 1.48 $12.95 $26,940
Hawaii 85,430 134.42 1.46 $19.08 $39,690
Montana 51,620 110.31 1.20 $11.86 $24,670
Florida 950,180 108.05 1.18 $12.50 $26,000
South Carolina 216,890 102.90 1.12 $10.87 $22,610




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii 85,430 134.42 1.46 $19.08 $39,690
District of Columbia 60,300 83.34 0.91 $18.92 $39,350
Washington 299,950 90.39 0.98 $16.33 $33,970
New York 768,040 80.65 0.88 $16.00 $33,290
Massachusetts 312,680 86.39 0.94 $15.54 $32,320





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-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 734,600 76.08 0.83 $15.94 $33,150
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 592,710 94.99 1.03 $14.36 $29,860
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 395,060 84.48 0.92 $12.49 $25,980
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 323,080 88.35 0.96 $11.43 $23,770
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 280,000 91.74 1.00 $11.76 $24,470
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 258,500 97.83 1.06 $12.66 $26,340
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 256,020 80.53 0.88 $14.63 $30,420
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 249,650 90.99 0.99 $11.19 $23,270
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 237,690 82.63 0.90 $12.89 $26,800
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 231,990 82.91 0.90 $15.63 $32,500




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)
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 14,530 190.37 2.07 $21.72 $45,180
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC 30,190 180.36 1.96 $11.19 $23,260
Ocean City, NJ 6,870 173.22 1.89 $13.23 $27,520
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL 12,630 169.54 1.85 $10.93 $22,740
Flagstaff, AZ 10,420 167.48 1.82 $13.98 $29,070
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC 12,810 163.03 1.77 $11.45 $23,810
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 20,880 158.27 1.72 $12.90 $26,830
Jacksonville, NC 7,420 157.07 1.71 $10.39 $21,600
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 17,100 151.97 1.65 $12.93 $26,900
Lawrence, KS 7,380 150.85 1.64 $10.97 $22,820




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 14,530 190.37 2.07 $21.72 $45,180
Urban Honolulu, HI 55,240 120.72 1.31 $18.45 $38,370
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 173,210 85.71 0.93 $17.38 $36,140
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 221,270 89.51 0.97 $17.19 $35,750
Kingston, NY 6,470 107.40 1.17 $16.46 $34,230
Napa, CA 10,230 132.35 1.44 $16.32 $33,940
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 5,660 113.13 1.23 $16.05 $33,380
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 734,600 76.08 0.83 $15.94 $33,150
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 84,570 74.13 0.81 $15.88 $33,020
Barnstable Town, MA 13,600 130.62 1.42 $15.82 $32,910

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 33,870 85.96 0.94 $10.14 $21,100
North Northeastern Ohio non-metropolitan area (non-contiguous) 32,140 96.19 1.05 $11.02 $22,920
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 25,040 91.69 1.00 $11.85 $24,640
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 25,030 90.47 0.98 $10.61 $22,060
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 23,510 90.44 0.98 $10.26 $21,330

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

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Florida nonmetropolitan area 12,660 162.46 1.77 $13.62 $28,330
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 15,660 154.13 1.68 $18.87 $39,260
East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 18,920 140.28 1.53 $10.67 $22,200
Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area 10,470 139.41 1.52 $11.03 $22,930
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 17,040 138.59 1.51 $15.88 $33,030

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 15,660 154.13 1.68 $18.87 $39,260
Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 6,710 93.57 1.02 $15.93 $33,130
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 17,040 138.59 1.51 $15.88 $33,030
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 7,550 124.19 1.35 $15.48 $32,200
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 7,370 67.99 0.74 $15.40 $32,020


About May 2019 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2019 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: July 6, 2020