U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPrepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 387,700 | 0.7 % | $11.62 | $24,180 | 0.3 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $7.92 | $8.97 | $10.93 | $13.60 | $16.71 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $16,470 | $18,670 | $22,730 | $28,280 | $34,760 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | 132,920 | 1.56 | $10.93 | $22,730 |
| Nursing Care Facilities | 47,190 | 2.85 | $11.39 | $23,700 |
| Special Food Services | 40,910 | 7.43 | $12.14 | $25,240 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 31,140 | 0.60 | $12.87 | $26,770 |
| Community Care Facilities for the Elderly | 30,610 | 4.14 | $11.58 | $24,090 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rooming and Boarding Houses | 910 | 8.25 | $11.89 | $24,720 |
| Special Food Services | 40,910 | 7.43 | $12.14 | $25,240 |
| Community Care Facilities for the Elderly | 30,610 | 4.14 | $11.58 | $24,090 |
| Nursing Care Facilities | 47,190 | 2.85 | $11.39 | $23,700 |
| Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services | 3,090 | 2.19 | $10.83 | $22,520 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Financial Investment Activities | 50 | 0.02 | $20.08 | $41,770 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 2,610 | 0.13 | $19.58 | $40,740 |
| Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers | 60 | 0.01 | $16.74 | $34,810 |
| State Government (OES Designation) | 6,220 | 0.27 | $15.74 | $32,750 |
| Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation | 520 | 1.53 | $15.63 | $32,520 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 35,200 | 3.49 | 1.14 | $9.98 | $20,760 |
| California | 22,790 | 1.63 | 0.53 | $14.19 | $29,520 |
| Ohio | 21,970 | 4.47 | 1.46 | $11.98 | $24,920 |
| Pennsylvania | 19,790 | 3.61 | 1.18 | $12.17 | $25,310 |
| New York | 18,020 | 2.16 | 0.71 | $14.27 | $29,670 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 7,610 | 6.70 | 2.20 | $9.45 | $19,650 |
| Kentucky | 11,340 | 6.61 | 2.17 | $10.97 | $22,820 |
| West Virginia | 4,330 | 6.29 | 2.06 | $9.63 | $20,030 |
| Tennessee | 16,090 | 6.26 | 2.05 | $9.90 | $20,590 |
| South Dakota | 2,390 | 6.16 | 2.02 | $10.85 | $22,580 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 990 | 1.73 | 0.57 | $17.01 | $35,390 |
| Alaska | 860 | 2.78 | 0.91 | $16.92 | $35,190 |
| Rhode Island | 1,000 | 2.24 | 0.73 | $16.78 | $34,910 |
| Connecticut | 4,240 | 2.65 | 0.87 | $15.97 | $33,220 |
| Massachusetts | 8,540 | 2.74 | 0.90 | $14.72 | $30,620 |
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 | 9,760 | 1.96 | 0.64 | $15.04 | $31,290 |
| Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | 8,250 | 3.30 | 1.08 | $10.44 | $21,720 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division | 6,970 | 1.97 | 0.65 | $12.37 | $25,720 |
| Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division | 6,300 | 3.49 | 1.15 | $13.23 | $27,530 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 5,170 | 1.35 | 0.44 | $13.20 | $27,450 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 5,160 | 2.58 | 0.84 | $10.27 | $21,350 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 4,610 | 2.75 | 0.90 | $14.00 | $29,120 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division | 4,560 | 2.75 | 0.90 | $14.69 | $30,550 |
| Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN | 4,080 | 4.23 | 1.39 | $12.20 | $25,380 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 4,050 | 3.23 | 1.06 | $10.75 | $22,360 |