U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsThis 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 ; Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food ; Counter Attendants, Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop ; 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
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11,027,340 | 0.2 % | $10.21 | $21,240 | 0.2 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this major group:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $7.60 | $8.13 | $9.02 | $11.11 | $14.61 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $15,800 | $16,920 | $18,770 | $23,110 | $30,380 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-Service Restaurants | 4,193,500 | 93.97 | $10.33 | $21,490 |
| Limited-Service Eating Places | 3,532,540 | 87.89 | $9.23 | $19,190 |
| Special Food Services | 429,560 | 78.05 | $11.18 | $23,260 |
| Traveler Accommodation | 418,460 | 25.03 | $12.22 | $25,410 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | 411,310 | 4.82 | $11.11 | $23,100 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-Service Restaurants | 4,193,500 | 93.97 | $10.33 | $21,490 |
| Limited-Service Eating Places | 3,532,540 | 87.89 | $9.23 | $19,190 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) | 294,320 | 85.41 | $9.96 | $20,710 |
| Special Food Services | 429,560 | 78.05 | $11.18 | $23,260 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses | 4,370 | 39.77 | $10.85 | $22,580 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 12,810 | 0.63 | $18.27 | $38,000 |
| Rail Transportation | 410 | 0.18 | $16.40 | $34,100 |
| Other Financial Investment Activities | 570 | 0.17 | $15.82 | $32,910 |
| State Government (OES Designation) | 17,700 | 0.77 | $15.62 | $32,490 |
| Legal Services | 150 | 0.01 | $15.08 | $31,370 |
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 | 1,220,380 | 87.16 | 1.01 | $10.57 | $21,980 |
| Texas | 860,620 | 85.30 | 0.98 | $9.34 | $19,420 |
| Florida | 708,980 | 99.80 | 1.15 | $10.12 | $21,050 |
| New York | 608,680 | 72.95 | 0.84 | $11.46 | $23,830 |
| Pennsylvania | 461,370 | 84.14 | 0.97 | $10.41 | $21,660 |
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 | 156,040 | 140.13 | 1.62 | $11.77 | $24,480 |
| Hawaii | 67,030 | 117.27 | 1.35 | $11.90 | $24,750 |
| Montana | 43,240 | 101.92 | 1.18 | $9.46 | $19,670 |
| Rhode Island | 44,890 | 100.16 | 1.15 | $10.73 | $22,310 |
| Florida | 708,980 | 99.80 | 1.15 | $10.12 | $21,050 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 43,110 | 67.42 | 0.78 | $13.17 | $27,400 |
| Massachusetts | 261,630 | 83.88 | 0.97 | $12.31 | $25,600 |
| Vermont | 23,820 | 82.99 | 0.96 | $12.07 | $25,100 |
| Hawaii | 67,030 | 117.27 | 1.35 | $11.90 | $24,750 |
| Washington | 235,380 | 87.40 | 1.01 | $11.83 | $24,610 |
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-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 331,590 | 66.55 | 0.77 | $12.53 | $26,050 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 311,070 | 81.48 | 0.94 | $10.31 | $21,440 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division | 267,910 | 75.64 | 0.87 | $10.54 | $21,930 |
| Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | 199,460 | 79.85 | 0.92 | $9.57 | $19,900 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA | 186,560 | 84.78 | 0.98 | $9.92 | $20,620 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 170,870 | 74.64 | 0.86 | $11.67 | $24,280 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 159,120 | 79.49 | 0.92 | $9.47 | $19,700 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 149,170 | 88.61 | 1.02 | $10.53 | $21,900 |
| Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division | 138,490 | 76.74 | 0.88 | $11.21 | $23,320 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 134,540 | 80.18 | 0.92 | $10.73 | $22,320 |