U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPerform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 802,650 | 1.2 % | $9.93 | $20,660 | 0.4 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $7.65 | $8.29 | $9.18 | $11.08 | $13.68 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $15,900 | $17,230 | $19,100 | $23,040 | $28,450 |
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 | 202,720 | 4.54 | $9.66 | $20,090 |
| Limited-Service Eating Places | 171,720 | 4.27 | $8.82 | $18,350 |
| Grocery Stores | 112,290 | 4.54 | $10.59 | $22,020 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | 60,920 | 0.71 | $11.22 | $23,340 |
| Nursing Care Facilities | 43,700 | 2.64 | $10.06 | $20,920 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special Food Services | 42,290 | 7.68 | $10.42 | $21,670 |
| Specialty Food Stores | 10,490 | 4.95 | $9.77 | $20,330 |
| Full-Service Restaurants | 202,720 | 4.54 | $9.66 | $20,090 |
| Grocery Stores | 112,290 | 4.54 | $10.59 | $22,020 |
| Limited-Service Eating Places | 171,720 | 4.27 | $8.82 | $18,350 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beverage Manufacturing | 60 | 0.04 | $12.92 | $26,870 |
| Home Health Care Services | 280 | 0.03 | $12.89 | $26,800 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 4,890 | 0.17 | $12.58 | $26,160 |
| Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services | 30 | 0.02 | $12.46 | $25,920 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land | 40 | 0.39 | $12.35 | $25,690 |
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 | 99,760 | 7.13 | 1.13 | $10.17 | $21,150 |
| New York | 72,970 | 8.75 | 1.39 | $10.94 | $22,740 |
| Florida | 53,520 | 7.53 | 1.19 | $9.64 | $20,060 |
| Texas | 41,280 | 4.09 | 0.65 | $8.94 | $18,590 |
| Pennsylvania | 38,650 | 7.05 | 1.12 | $10.09 | $20,990 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 30,240 | 16.50 | 2.61 | $8.49 | $17,660 |
| Mississippi | 15,380 | 14.37 | 2.28 | $8.36 | $17,390 |
| South Dakota | 4,440 | 11.46 | 1.81 | $8.92 | $18,560 |
| Hawaii | 6,170 | 10.79 | 1.71 | $10.86 | $22,590 |
| Montana | 4,060 | 9.57 | 1.52 | $8.80 | $18,300 |
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 | 2,810 | 4.39 | 0.70 | $12.75 | $26,510 |
| Nevada | 7,890 | 7.09 | 1.12 | $12.21 | $25,390 |
| Alaska | 2,760 | 8.96 | 1.42 | $11.80 | $24,550 |
| Connecticut | 13,460 | 8.42 | 1.33 | $11.75 | $24,430 |
| Massachusetts | 19,010 | 6.10 | 0.97 | $11.34 | $23,580 |
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 | 38,980 | 7.82 | 1.24 | $11.59 | $24,110 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 25,790 | 6.76 | 1.07 | $9.78 | $20,350 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division | 20,820 | 5.88 | 0.93 | $10.01 | $20,820 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 12,580 | 5.50 | 0.87 | $10.58 | $22,000 |
| Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division | 11,280 | 6.25 | 0.99 | $10.99 | $22,860 |
| Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division | 11,000 | 8.00 | 1.27 | $10.32 | $21,460 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA | 10,890 | 4.95 | 0.78 | $10.04 | $20,880 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division | 10,280 | 6.20 | 0.98 | $11.71 | $24,370 |
| New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA | 10,050 | 19.93 | 3.16 | $8.85 | $18,400 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA | 9,850 | 7.95 | 1.26 | $9.95 | $20,690 |