Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages State pay map SOC 35-9099

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other

State pay geography leads here: District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland top the published medians for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other, unlike peer Cooks, Private Household.

Same-major-group titles next to Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other: Cooks, Private Household ($48K) , Cooks, Fast Food ($31K) , Food Servers, Nonrestaurant ($35K) , Cooks, Restaurant ($37K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

Highest-pay states for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other

State names lead when O*NET tasks are absent for this SOC, geography mass differs by occupation even when peer titles overlap.

  1. 1. District of Columbia $38,580
  2. 2. Hawaii $43,540
  3. 3. Maryland $37,500
  4. 4. Utah $37,180
  5. 5. Nebraska $46,170
  6. 6. Oregon $39,080
  7. 7. Arizona $37,600
  8. 8. Illinois $38,880
  9. 9. Indiana $38,160
  10. 10. New Hampshire $38,210
Highest published state median
District of Columbia
$38,580 · national $35,840
$36K
National median
↑ +6%
Growth 2024-2034
14,600
Annual openings
84,630
Estimated US jobs
Cooks, Private Household
Highest-pay peer · $48K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education No formal educational credential

Other Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations titles

  1. 1. Food Servers, Nonrestaurant $35,360
  2. 2. Cooks, Private Household $47,940
  3. 3. Cooks, Fast Food $30,890
  4. 4. Cooks, Restaurant $37,390
  5. 5. Waiters and Waitresses $35,230
  6. 6. Dishwashers $34,810

State pay geography leads this card: District of Columbia holds the highest published median ($38,580) among the listed states for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other. National median is $35,840.

Employment Projections expect +6% change between 2024 and 2034 (faster than average vs baseline 3.1%). About 14,600 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns No formal educational credential as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: District of Columbia at $38,580. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Cooks, Private Household at $47,940. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other pay-rank #8 in Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other sits at pay-rank #8 of 17 detailed Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations, the middle third of the major-group median table. ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.

Other mid-table titles · closest medians

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other mid-table among Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations?
Yes: pay-rank #8 of 17 detailed Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Cooks, Short Order ($36K), Food Servers, Nonrestaurant ($35K), Food Preparation Workers ($35K), Waiters and Waitresses ($35K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What is the OEWS national median for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other?
May 2025 OEWS reports $35,840 as the national median for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other. The published 10th-90th range is $25,470 to $47,550. Beside Cooks, Private Household ($47,940), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other?
The 2024-2034 projection for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other is +6%. Projected annual openings: about 14,600. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: faster than average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other?
BLS assigns No formal educational credential as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other?
District of Columbia ($38,580), Hawaii ($43,540), Maryland ($37,500) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 35-9099. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics