Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$35,840
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$17.23
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$47,550
entry level starts ~$25,470
Pay Grade
C
below-average pay · 85,000 employed

How much do Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other make?

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other earn a median annual salary of $35,840 in the United States, which works out to roughly $17.23 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $25,470 at the entry level and $47,550 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $31,200 and $39,880 a year.

That is $25,550 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other salary range by percentile

Half of all Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other earn between $31,200 and $39,880 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$25,470$12.25
25th percentile (early career)$31,200$15.00
50th percentile (median)$35,840$17.23
75th percentile (experienced)$39,880$19.17
90th percentile (top earners)$47,550$22.86

Highest-paying states for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Nebraska leads the country for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other pay at $46,170 a year, followed by Hawaii ($43,540) and Oregon ($39,080). At the other end, West Virginia posts the lowest median at $21,640 — a gap of $24,530 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Nebraska$46,170$22.20+29%
2Hawaii$43,540$20.93+21%
3Oregon$39,080$18.79+9%
4Illinois$38,880$18.69+8%
5District of Columbia$38,580$18.55+8%

Workforce and education

About 85,000 people work as Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other in the United States. On qualifications: no college degree is required — most training happens on the job, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other make in the United States?
The median Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other salary in the United States is $35,840 per year, or about $17.23 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $25,470, while the top 10% of earners make $47,550 or more.
How does Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of C (below-average pay), the Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other median of $35,840 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other the most?
Nebraska is the highest-paying state for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other, with a median salary of $46,170 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
What education do Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other need?
For most positions, no college degree is required — most training happens on the job, according to O*NET occupation data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
How many Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other work in the United States?
About 85,000 people were employed as Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

Related salaries

Other food service roles with similar pay.

Bartender

$34,340
median pay · 756,000 employed

Cook, Private Household

$47,940
median pay · 1,000 employed

Dishwasher

$34,810
median pay · 477,000 employed

Cook, Restaurant

$37,390
median pay · 1,410,000 employed

Waiters and Waitresses

$35,230
median pay · 2,271,000 employed

Cook, Short Order

$35,880
median pay · 139,000 employed
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.