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Food Preparation and Serving Wages by State — 2024 Rankings (BLS Data)

Food Preparation and Serving median wage by state — 2024 BLS OEWS data. Full 51-state ranking.

No signup No tracking Last updated March 2026
Data current as of March 2026 Sources: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024

DC pays the highest median wage for food preparation and serving workers at $42,960/year, while MS is the lowest at $23,250/year. The national median is approximately $31,983/year. Data source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.

Top 5 Highest Paying States

  1. 1 DC $42,960
  2. 2 WA $41,330
  3. 3 VT $38,450
  4. 4 HI $37,640
  5. 5 CA $37,540

Bottom 5 Lowest Paying States

  1. 51 MS $23,250
  2. 50 LA $23,570
  3. 49 OK $26,690
  4. 48 AL $26,950
  5. 47 AR $27,320

National median: $31,983/year  ·  National mean hourly: /hr  ·  Wage gap (highest vs lowest): $19,710

Food Preparation and Serving Median Annual Wage by State

Source: BLS OEWS 2024. Median annual wage. States sorted highest to lowest.

All States Ranked by Food Preparation and Serving Wages (2024)

Rank State Med. Annual
1 DC $42,960
2 WA $41,330
3 VT $38,450
4 HI $37,640
5 CA $37,540
6 NY $36,990
7 CO $36,880
8 MA $36,780
9 ME $36,340
10 AK $36,150
11 NJ $36,130
12 NH $35,650
13 OR $35,600
14 CT $35,480
15 AZ $35,330
16 RI $35,240
17 MD $34,900
18 DE $34,200
19 VA $33,710
20 MN $32,830
21 IL $32,690
22 NV $31,590
23 ND $31,270
24 FL $31,140
25 MI $31,100
26 NE $30,980
27 UT $30,350
28 PA $30,030
29 MT $29,960
30 NM $29,860
31 MO $29,820
32 WI $29,820
33 WY $29,820
34 SD $29,800
35 ID $29,560
36 OH $29,510
37 IA $29,490
38 TN $29,290
39 IN $29,120
40 NC $29,050
41 GA $28,770
42 KS $28,680
43 TX $28,440
44 SC $27,870
45 KY $27,840
46 WV $27,380
47 AR $27,320
48 AL $26,950
49 OK $26,690
50 LA $23,570
51 MS $23,250

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Employment counts reflect total workers in this occupation group.

Swipe right for mean hourly rate and employment data.

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Wage Rankings by Occupation Group

Compare median wages across all 22 BLS major occupation groups:

Management Business and Financial Operations Computer and Mathematical Architecture and Engineering Life, Physical, and Social Science Community and Social Service Legal Educational Instruction and Library Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Healthcare Support Protective Service Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Personal Care and Service Sales and Related Office and Administrative Support Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Construction and Extraction Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Production Transportation and Material Moving
Estimates only. These results are based on publicly available data and standard formulas. Actual costs may vary based on your specific circumstances. This calculator does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified professional for advice on your situation.

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