The average annual salary of food preparation and serving related occupations is shown in Table 1. Table 2 compares the median salaries across all food preparation and serving related occupations in the United States. The food preparation and serving related occupations salary statistics are from the national compensation survey published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in April 2023 [1].
| Percentile Bracket | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th Percentile Wage | $21,110 |
| 25th Percentile Wage | $24,440 |
| 50th Percentile Wage | $29,640 |
| 75th Percentile Wage | $35,630 |
| 90th Percentile Wage | $45,150 |
Table 1 shows the average annual salary for food preparation and serving related occupations. The salary is shown in 5 percentile scales. The average annual salary for the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) food preparation and serving related occupations is $45,150. The median annual salary is $29,640. The average annual salary for the bottom 10 percent is $21,110.
The table and chart below show the trend of the median salary of food preparation and serving related occupations from 2012 to 2022.
| Year | Median Salary | Yearly Growth | 10-Year Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $29,640 | 4.18% | 36.13% |
| 2021 | $28,400 | 10.21% | - |
| 2020 | $25,500 | 5.02% | - |
| 2019 | $24,220 | 4.75% | - |
| 2018 | $23,070 | 5.03% | - |
| 2017 | $21,910 | 5.02% | - |
| 2016 | $20,810 | 5.91% | - |
| 2015 | $19,580 | 2.30% | - |
| 2014 | $19,130 | 0.58% | - |
| 2013 | $19,020 | 0.47% | - |
| 2012 | $18,930 | - | - |
Table 2 shows the median annual wage for each Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations in the United States. Note that the median annual salaries vary considerably among food preparation and serving related professions, ranging from $21,250 to $56,520. The highest-paid food preparation and serving related occupations are chefs and head cooks with a median annual salary of $56,520. The lowest-paid food preparation and serving related occupations in the United States are combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food with a median annual salary of $21,250. For more salary information about a specific food preparation and serving related profession, use the links in the table.