National Salary Info » Food Preparation Workers

Highest Paying Industries for Food Preparation Workers

The top 100 highest paying industries for food preparation workers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $34,630, specialty hospitals - state government owned is the highest paying industry for food preparation workers. It is followed by elementary and secondary schools - state government owned industry (average annual salary $34,260). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of food preparation workers in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Food Preparation Workers

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Specialty hospitals - State government owned	$34,630	$30,970	300
2	Elementary and Secondary Schools - State government owned	$34,260	$25,470	740
3	Casino Hotels	$32,170	$19,310	5,020
4	Office Administrative Services	$31,910	$19,650	50
5	Hospitals - State government owned	$31,100	$18,460	1,700
6	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - State government owned	$29,250	$18,690	330
7	Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals - State government owned	$29,060	$17,820	1,070
8	Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$28,810	$19,120	n/a
9	Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$28,090	$24,500	n/a
10	Department Stores	$27,170	$18,960	460
11	Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals	$26,770	$17,610	1,670
12	Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals	$26,620	$17,850	1,160
13	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$26,610	$18,380	n/a
14	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$26,290	$17,250	60
15	Chemical Manufacturing	$26,170	$17,280	60
16	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$26,020	$19,110	40
17	Scientific Research and Development Services	$26,020	$19,110	40
18	Home Health Care Services	$25,830	$17,560	240
19	Animal Slaughtering and Processing	$25,670	$18,120	100
20	State government, including schools and hospitals	$25,360	$17,510	n/a
21	Other schools and instruction - Privately owned	$25,200	$17,240	110
22	Other Schools and Instruction	$25,200	$17,240	110
23	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$24,800	$17,920	140
24	Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services	$24,670	$18,650	50
25	Educational Services - Privately owned	$24,400	$17,790	5,210
26	Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land	$24,330	$17,920	70
27	Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools	$24,220	$17,850	5,080
28	Technical and trade schools - Privately owned	$24,170	$17,530	150
29	Educational Services - State government owned	$24,130	$17,500	3,090
30	Furniture Stores	$23,820	$19,010	140
31	Technical and Trade Schools	$23,720	$17,230	150
32	Dairy Product Manufacturing	$23,720	$17,060	520
33	Educational Services	$23,670	$17,210	45,810
34	Elementary and Secondary Schools	$23,610	$17,160	40,180
35	General Merchandise Stores	$23,550	$17,440	5,880
36	Elementary and Secondary Schools - Local government owned	$23,510	$17,130	37,320
37	Educational Services - Local government owned	$23,500	$17,130	37,500
38	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Privately owned	$23,420	$17,510	17,590
39	Hospitals - Privately owned	$23,400	$17,500	19,030
40	Hospitals (including private, state, and local government hospitals)	$23,290	$17,340	24,210
41	Other General Merchandise Stores	$23,240	$17,370	5,420
42	State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$23,170	$16,980	1,850
43	Finance and Insurance	$23,160	$18,130	120
44	Specialty hospitals - Privately owned	$23,110	$17,340	850
45	Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation	$23,090	$18,500	180
46	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	$23,040	$17,290	21,370
47	Insurance Carriers	$22,940	$18,790	50
48	Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals - Privately owned	$22,930	$17,410	600
49	Traveler Accommodation	$22,910	$17,190	15,860
50	Insurance Carriers and Related Activities	$22,880	$19,120	60
51	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$22,870	$17,040	58,830
52	Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations	$22,870	$17,050	170
53	Offices of Physicians	$22,740	$18,560	250
54	Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water	$22,730	$19,120	120
55	Accommodation	$22,650	$17,130	16,740
56	Credit Intermediation and Related Activities	$22,640	$17,700	n/a
57	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - State government owned	$22,630	$17,180	2,260
58	Ambulatory Health Care Services	$22,610	$17,580	910
59	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$22,590	$17,000	n/a
60	Elementary and Secondary Schools - Privately owned	$22,590	$17,230	2,120
61	Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events	$22,540	$16,670	420
62	Depository Credit Intermediation	$22,480	$17,690	n/a
63	Clothing Stores	$22,360	$19,730	n/a
64	Clothing and Clothing Accessories Stores	$22,360	$19,730	n/a
65	Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists	$22,250	$17,860	80
66	Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores	$22,110	$17,490	440
67	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$21,980	$17,540	1,120
68	Beverage Manufacturing	$21,860	$17,490	640
69	Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing	$21,860	$17,490	640
70	Junior colleges - Local government owned	$21,780	$18,210	150
71	Offices of Other Health Practitioners	$21,760	$17,010	120
72	Sporting Goods Stores	$21,750	$17,310	170
73	Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores	$21,730	$16,870	190
74	Outpatient Care Centers	$21,670	$17,320	310
75	Facilities Support Services	$21,660	$17,540	760
76	Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing	$21,540	$16,640	270
77	Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Stores	$21,470	$16,920	180
78	Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers	$21,440	$16,850	1,510
79	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$21,400	$16,740	10,500
80	Federal, State, and Local Government	$21,400	$16,740	10,500
81	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$21,200	$17,940	960
82	Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities	$21,120	$17,290	730
83	Transportation and Warehousing	$21,110	$16,900	720
84	Health Care and Social Assistance	$21,050	$16,850	76,700
85	Vocational Rehabilitation Services	$21,020	$17,300	1,160
86	Hospitals - Local government owned	$21,010	$16,520	3,480
87	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$20,980	$16,710	8,650
88	Other Amusement and Recreation Industries	$20,970	$16,880	7,590
89	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Local government owned	$20,970	$16,510	3,450
90	Information	$20,970	$16,650	1,220
91	Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods	$20,920	$16,830	110
92	Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses	$20,900	$16,330	100
93	Special Food Services	$20,880	$17,040	55,380
94	Junior Colleges (including private, state, and local government schools)	$20,830	$16,990	240
95	Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods	$20,810	$17,170	2,510
96	Wholesale Trade	$20,790	$17,140	2,630
97	Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities	$20,750	$17,160	1,230
98	Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services	$20,740	$16,990	1,900
99	Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers	$20,730	$17,060	190
100	Spectator Sports	$20,680	$17,120	220