U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPrepare and cook to order a variety of foods that require only a short preparation time. May take orders from customers and serve patrons at counters or tables. Excludes "Fast Food Cooks" (35-2011).
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 171,780 | 3.2 % | $10.11 | $21,030 | 0.7 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $7.66 | $8.31 | $9.42 | $11.38 | $13.95 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $15,930 | $17,280 | $19,580 | $23,680 | $29,010 |
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 | 73,800 | 1.65 | $10.02 | $20,840 |
| Limited-Service Eating Places | 39,090 | 0.97 | $9.91 | $20,600 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) | 16,350 | 4.75 | $9.97 | $20,730 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | 8,680 | 0.81 | $9.83 | $20,450 |
| Special Food Services | 6,540 | 1.19 | $10.86 | $22,600 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) | 16,350 | 4.75 | $9.97 | $20,730 |
| Full-Service Restaurants | 73,800 | 1.65 | $10.02 | $20,840 |
| Special Food Services | 6,540 | 1.19 | $10.86 | $22,600 |
| Limited-Service Eating Places | 39,090 | 0.97 | $9.91 | $20,600 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | 8,680 | 0.81 | $9.83 | $20,450 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 340 | 0.01 | $12.97 | $26,980 |
| Child Day Care Services | 40 | 0.01 | $12.24 | $25,460 |
| Traveler Accommodation | 5,190 | 0.31 | $12.05 | $25,060 |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries | 130 | 0.04 | $11.65 | $24,230 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 210 | 0.01 | $11.58 | $24,090 |
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 | 16,820 | 1.20 | 0.89 | $11.30 | $23,510 |
| Texas | 14,220 | 1.41 | 1.04 | $9.11 | $18,950 |
| New York | 11,790 | 1.41 | 1.05 | $11.92 | $24,800 |
| Georgia | 9,170 | 2.45 | 1.81 | $9.53 | $19,820 |
| Pennsylvania | 8,090 | 1.48 | 1.09 | $10.41 | $21,650 |
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 | 3,070 | 2.76 | 2.04 | $12.30 | $25,590 |
| South Carolina | 4,760 | 2.73 | 2.02 | $9.15 | $19,020 |
| Louisiana | 4,990 | 2.72 | 2.01 | $8.72 | $18,140 |
| Rhode Island | 1,150 | 2.56 | 1.90 | $10.95 | $22,780 |
| Georgia | 9,170 | 2.45 | 1.81 | $9.53 | $19,820 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | (8) | (8) | (8) | $13.84 | $28,800 |
| District of Columbia | 740 | 1.16 | 0.86 | $13.60 | $28,290 |
| Alaska | 430 | 1.40 | 1.03 | $12.80 | $26,620 |
| Nevada | 3,070 | 2.76 | 2.04 | $12.30 | $25,590 |
| Connecticut | 1,630 | 1.02 | 0.76 | $12.27 | $25,530 |
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 | 7,470 | 1.50 | 1.11 | $12.77 | $26,560 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA | 6,270 | 2.85 | 2.11 | $9.89 | $20,580 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 4,520 | 1.18 | 0.88 | $11.26 | $23,420 |
| Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | 3,390 | 1.36 | 1.00 | $9.84 | $20,470 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 2,890 | 1.44 | 1.07 | $8.86 | $18,420 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division | 2,810 | 0.79 | 0.59 | $10.68 | $22,210 |
| Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division | 2,740 | 1.52 | 1.13 | $11.61 | $24,140 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA | 2,710 | 2.19 | 1.62 | $11.04 | $22,960 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 2,580 | 1.53 | 1.13 | $11.21 | $23,330 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 2,360 | 1.03 | 0.76 | $11.97 | $24,900 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington, NC | 700 | 5.20 | 3.84 | $8.41 | $17,490 |
| Goldsboro, NC | 180 | 4.25 | 3.15 | $7.89 | $16,410 |
| Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME | 800 | 4.17 | 3.08 | $11.23 | $23,360 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 1,480 | 4.15 | 3.07 | $8.24 | $17,130 |
| Ocean City, NJ | 150 | 3.97 | 2.93 | $10.82 | $22,510 |
| State College, PA | 240 | 3.55 | 2.63 | $9.94 | $20,670 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | 170 | 3.54 | 2.62 | $9.55 | $19,870 |
| Columbia, SC | 1,110 | 3.35 | 2.48 | $9.47 | $19,700 |
| Honolulu, HI | 1,380 | 3.29 | 2.43 | $13.90 | $28,900 |
| Lancaster, PA | 710 | 3.22 | 2.38 | $9.74 | $20,260 |