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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

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)
12,514,620 0.1 % $ 15.45 $ 32,130 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 10.15 $ 11.75 $ 14.25 $ 17.13 $ 21.71
Annual Wage (2) $ 21,110 $ 24,440 $ 29,640 $ 35,630 $ 45,150

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 9,213,620 88.48 $ 15.07 $ 31,340
Special Food Services 473,170 74.29 $ 16.92 $ 35,190
Traveler Accommodation 373,860 22.15 $ 17.82 $ 37,070
Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) 362,850 12.15 $ 15.83 $ 32,920
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 333,980 84.77 $ 16.21 $ 33,720

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 9,213,620 88.48 $ 15.07 $ 31,340
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 333,980 84.77 $ 16.21 $ 33,720
Special Food Services 473,170 74.29 $ 16.92 $ 35,190
Beverage Manufacturing 73,880 23.98 $ 17.32 $ 36,020
Traveler Accommodation 373,860 22.15 $ 17.82 $ 37,070

Top paying industries for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities 560 0.06 $ 40.17 $ 83,560
Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing 30 0.04 $ 37.93 $ 78,900
Software Publishers 60 0.01 $ 30.49 $ 63,420
Support Activities for Water Transportation 200 0.21 $ 29.18 $ 60,700
Residential Building Construction 70 0.01 $ 28.05 $ 58,340

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.



Map of employment of food preparation and serving related occupations by state, May 2022


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 1,499,090 85.00 1.00 $ 17.89 $ 37,220
Texas 1,160,650 89.33 1.06 $ 13.40 $ 27,880
Florida 918,330 99.70 1.18 $ 15.18 $ 31,580
New York 645,020 70.81 0.84 $ 19.62 $ 40,820
Ohio 457,290 85.06 1.01 $ 13.90 $ 28,900


Map of location quotient of food preparation and serving related occupations by state, May 2022


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 183,190 129.72 1.53 $ 14.29 $ 29,710
Hawaii 74,060 124.49 1.47 $ 17.76 $ 36,940
Montana 50,970 104.10 1.23 $ 13.45 $ 27,970
Florida 918,330 99.70 1.18 $ 15.18 $ 31,580
Oklahoma 157,050 97.86 1.16 $ 12.47 $ 25,940


Map of annual mean wages of food preparation and serving related occupations by state, May 2022


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 45,270 65.60 0.78 $ 21.56 $ 44,850
New York 645,020 70.81 0.84 $ 19.62 $ 40,820
Washington 288,080 84.59 1.00 $ 19.59 $ 40,740
Massachusetts 275,300 77.20 0.91 $ 18.38 $ 38,230
Vermont 22,680 77.34 0.91 $ 18.30 $ 38,060



Map of employment of food preparation and serving related occupations by area, May 2022


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 614,980 66.95 0.79 $ 20.06 $ 41,720
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 537,530 88.11 1.04 $ 17.86 $ 37,160
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 345,830 78.31 0.93 $ 15.99 $ 33,250
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 324,540 85.30 1.01 $ 13.99 $ 29,110
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 276,520 90.53 1.07 $ 13.58 $ 28,240
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 239,990 91.47 1.08 $ 15.73 $ 32,720
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 230,770 84.60 1.00 $ 14.02 $ 29,160
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 224,870 74.28 0.88 $ 18.04 $ 37,530
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 210,140 75.86 0.90 $ 15.46 $ 32,170
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 198,880 73.55 0.87 $ 18.59 $ 38,660


Map of location quotient of food preparation and serving related occupations by area, May 2022


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 29,880 173.59 2.05 $ 12.43 $ 25,850
Ocean City, NJ 6,700 168.07 1.99 $ 17.29 $ 35,970
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 12,280 167.93 1.98 $ 20.04 $ 41,680
Flagstaff, AZ 9,920 160.78 1.90 $ 17.51 $ 36,420
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC 12,450 159.69 1.89 $ 13.32 $ 27,700
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 17,840 149.95 1.77 $ 15.14 $ 31,490
Jacksonville, NC 7,390 148.27 1.75 $ 12.19 $ 25,360
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV 149,400 145.84 1.72 $ 14.39 $ 29,920
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL 11,310 143.81 1.70 $ 12.68 $ 26,370
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL 22,030 139.98 1.65 $ 16.60 $ 34,520