Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021
35-0000 Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations (Major Group)
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations comprises the following occupations:
Chefs and Head Cooks;
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers;
Cooks, All Other;
Cooks, Private Household;
Cooks, Short Order;
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria;
Cooks, Fast Food;
Cooks, Restaurant;
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 Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
Industry profile for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
Geographic profile for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
National estimates for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 11,201,480 |
0.2 % |
$ 14.16 |
$ 29,450 |
0.4 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 8.89 |
$ 10.82 |
$ 13.65 |
$ 15.05 |
$ 18.90 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 18,480 |
$ 22,500 |
$ 28,400 |
$ 31,300 |
$ 39,320 |
Industry profile for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places |
8,292,350 |
87.92 |
$ 13.81 |
$ 28,720 |
| Food and Beverage Stores (4451 and 4452 only) |
377,530 |
12.77 |
$ 14.88 |
$ 30,940 |
| Special Food Services |
357,030 |
75.35 |
$ 15.76 |
$ 32,770 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
315,720 |
3.90 |
$ 14.63 |
$ 30,430 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
261,820 |
85.31 |
$ 14.16 |
$ 29,450 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places |
8,292,350 |
87.92 |
$ 13.81 |
$ 28,720 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
261,820 |
85.31 |
$ 14.16 |
$ 29,450 |
| Special Food Services |
357,030 |
75.35 |
$ 15.76 |
$ 32,770 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
1,900 |
21.13 |
$ 15.78 |
$ 32,810 |
| Beverage Manufacturing |
58,610 |
20.89 |
$ 15.85 |
$ 32,960 |
Top paying industries for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Radio and Television Broadcasting |
30 |
0.02 |
$ 39.44 |
$ 82,030 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) |
50 |
(7) |
$ 31.34 |
$ 65,180 |
| Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation |
370 |
1.13 |
$ 25.83 |
$ 53,720 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing |
60 |
0.01 |
$ 25.33 |
$ 52,680 |
| Legal Services |
180 |
0.02 |
$ 24.15 |
$ 50,220 |
Geographic profile for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California |
1,238,040 |
74.90 |
0.94 |
$ 17.10 |
$ 35,570 |
| Texas |
1,047,310 |
85.66 |
1.08 |
$ 12.48 |
$ 25,950 |
| Florida |
818,970 |
95.17 |
1.20 |
$ 13.68 |
$ 28,450 |
| New York |
546,790 |
63.07 |
0.79 |
$ 17.71 |
$ 36,830 |
| Ohio |
429,370 |
82.55 |
1.04 |
$ 12.63 |
$ 26,280 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Nevada |
151,290 |
117.35 |
1.48 |
$ 13.15 |
$ 27,350 |
| Hawaii |
57,620 |
105.06 |
1.32 |
$ 17.41 |
$ 36,200 |
| Montana |
47,770 |
101.60 |
1.28 |
$ 12.67 |
$ 26,350 |
| Oklahoma |
153,020 |
98.23 |
1.24 |
$ 11.81 |
$ 24,550 |
| South Carolina |
196,760 |
95.18 |
1.20 |
$ 12.05 |
$ 25,070 |
Top paying states for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| District of Columbia |
32,260 |
48.73 |
0.61 |
$ 20.12 |
$ 41,840 |
| Washington |
244,570 |
76.29 |
0.96 |
$ 18.38 |
$ 38,230 |
| New York |
546,790 |
63.07 |
0.79 |
$ 17.71 |
$ 36,830 |
| Hawaii |
57,620 |
105.06 |
1.32 |
$ 17.41 |
$ 36,200 |
| Massachusetts |
235,130 |
69.27 |
0.87 |
$ 17.27 |
$ 35,910 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
| 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 |
508,810 |
58.63 |
0.74 |
$ 17.90 |
$ 37,220 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
448,780 |
78.46 |
0.99 |
$ 17.04 |
$ 35,430 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
298,600 |
70.54 |
0.89 |
$ 14.12 |
$ 29,360 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
292,540 |
81.51 |
1.03 |
$ 12.88 |
$ 26,790 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
249,470 |
86.11 |
1.08 |
$ 12.92 |
$ 26,880 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA |
211,820 |
81.85 |
1.03 |
$ 12.93 |
$ 26,890 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL |
208,490 |
85.01 |
1.07 |
$ 14.09 |
$ 29,300 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
197,140 |
67.22 |
0.85 |
$ 16.36 |
$ 34,030 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
180,530 |
68.00 |
0.86 |
$ 14.32 |
$ 29,780 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ |
172,150 |
81.33 |
1.02 |
$ 16.73 |
$ 34,790 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC |
27,800 |
171.33 |
2.15 |
$ 11.69 |
$ 24,300 |
| Ocean City, NJ |
6,600 |
169.00 |
2.13 |
$ 15.41 |
$ 32,060 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC |
11,710 |
156.44 |
1.97 |
$ 12.53 |
$ 26,050 |
| Flagstaff, AZ |
8,770 |
151.68 |
1.91 |
$ 16.89 |
$ 35,130 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL |
11,160 |
150.00 |
1.89 |
$ 11.62 |
$ 24,170 |
| Jacksonville, NC |
7,160 |
148.85 |
1.87 |
$ 11.22 |
$ 23,340 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL |
16,880 |
147.83 |
1.86 |
$ 13.98 |
$ 29,090 |
| Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI |
9,360 |
146.03 |
1.84 |
$ 19.43 |
$ 40,420 |
| Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL |
20,420 |
139.54 |
1.76 |
$ 15.32 |
$ 31,870 |
| Brunswick, GA |
5,590 |
138.05 |
1.74 |
$ 11.76 |
$ 24,460 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA |
57,840 |
54.12 |
0.68 |
$ 19.54 |
$ 40,640 |
| Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI |
9,360 |
146.03 |
1.84 |
$ 19.43 |
$ 40,420 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
132,740 |
69.23 |
0.87 |
$ 19.41 |
$ 40,380 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
141,190 |
62.97 |
0.79 |
$ 19.06 |
$ 39,640 |
| Napa, CA |
7,140 |
103.56 |
1.30 |
$ 18.45 |
$ 38,380 |
| Barnstable Town, MA |
12,200 |
125.92 |
1.58 |
$ 18.00 |
$ 37,430 |
| Ithaca, NY |
3,680 |
79.23 |
1.00 |
$ 17.96 |
$ 37,350 |
| Santa Rosa, CA |
16,380 |
85.37 |
1.07 |
$ 17.91 |
$ 37,260 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
508,810 |
58.63 |
0.74 |
$ 17.90 |
$ 37,220 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA |
4,180 |
88.73 |
1.12 |
$ 17.66 |
$ 36,730 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area |
30,890 |
82.23 |
1.03 |
$ 11.36 |
$ 23,640 |
| North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) |
28,380 |
90.29 |
1.14 |
$ 11.98 |
$ 24,910 |
| North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area |
24,860 |
93.48 |
1.18 |
$ 11.22 |
$ 23,330 |
| Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area |
21,290 |
87.16 |
1.10 |
$ 11.67 |
$ 24,270 |
| Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area |
21,100 |
87.80 |
1.10 |
$ 11.20 |
$ 23,290 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| South Florida nonmetropolitan area |
11,550 |
152.31 |
1.92 |
$ 14.18 |
$ 29,500 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area |
17,870 |
134.16 |
1.69 |
$ 11.45 |
$ 23,820 |
| Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area |
14,650 |
125.56 |
1.58 |
$ 17.84 |
$ 37,110 |
| Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area |
8,770 |
124.54 |
1.57 |
$ 12.47 |
$ 25,940 |
| Mountain North Carolina nonmetropolitan area |
15,610 |
124.38 |
1.56 |
$ 12.25 |
$ 25,470 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area |
5,900 |
102.09 |
1.28 |
$ 18.28 |
$ 38,030 |
| Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area |
14,650 |
125.56 |
1.58 |
$ 17.84 |
$ 37,110 |
| Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area |
10,730 |
120.69 |
1.52 |
$ 17.52 |
$ 36,440 |
| Western Washington nonmetropolitan area |
12,230 |
102.32 |
1.29 |
$ 17.00 |
$ 35,350 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area |
6,770 |
118.23 |
1.49 |
$ 16.75 |
$ 34,850 |
About May 2021 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.
(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.
(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 OEWS estimates and related information:
May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022
United States Department of Labor
