Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other Salary in New Jersey
Other food preparation and serving related workers in New Jersey earned a median of $36,290 a year ($17.45 an hour) and a mean of $38,600 in May 2025. The median is 1.3% above the U.S. median of $35,840, ranking 14th of 47 states and territories, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $36,290
- Median hourly
- $17.45
- Mean annual
- $38,600
- Jobs on record
- 3,780
Grey needle: U.S. median, $35,840 a year.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Confirm any figure on bls.gov/oes. Latest BLS release: May 2025, published May 15, 2026; checked November 10, 2026.
How does New Jersey compare on pay for other food preparation and serving related workers?
New Jersey ranks 14th of 47 states and territories. Nebraska is highest at $46,170, $9,880 more than the New Jersey median.
| State | Rank | Median | Against U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | 12 | $36,640 | +2% | 2,670 |
| Connecticut | 13 | $36,320 | +1% | 1,060 |
| New Jersey | 14 | $36,290 | +1% | 3,780 |
| New Mexico | 15 | $36,250 | +1% | 130 |
| Virginia | 16 | $35,870 | +0% | 1,390 |
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025. Rank 1 is the highest median among 47 states and territories with a published figure. See every state.
Does New Jersey pay go further after prices?
Prices in New Jersey run 8.8% above the U.S. average, so the $36,290 median buys about what $33,353 buys at average U.S. prices, below the $35,840 U.S. median. On this measure New Jersey ranks 25th of 44, down from 14th before the adjustment.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. The adjustment divides pay by the state's price level.
Which areas in New Jersey pay other food preparation and serving related workers the most?
Trenton-Princeton, NJ is highest at $43,350, 19.5% above the New Jersey median.
| Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $43,350 | 360 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $41,180 | 400 |
| Vineland, NJ | $37,230 | 110 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Every area BLS lists for this job in New Jersey is shown; an area that crosses state lines is listed under the first state in its BLS title.
How many other food preparation and serving related workers work in New Jersey?
BLS counts 3,780 jobs in New Jersey, 4.5% of the 84,630 in the U.S. That is the 5th largest count among the 38 states and territories with a published figure. That is 0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in New Jersey, a location quotient of 1.62: the occupation's share of local jobs is 1.62 times its national share, so it is more concentrated here than in the U.S. as a whole.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025 and national file.
How does the New Jersey minimum wage compare with pay for other food preparation and serving related workers?
The 10th-percentile hourly pay for other food preparation and serving related workers in New Jersey was $15.49 in May 2025, $0.43 below the $15.92 minimum wage that applies there now. The pay figure dates from May 2025 and the minimum wage is the current rate, so the two are not from the same date.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, State Minimum Wage Laws, updated 2026-11-05; BLS OEWS state file, May 2025, 10th-percentile hourly wage.
Related jobs in New Jersey
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS state file, May 2025.