How much does a food service worker make?
a year · about $17 an hour
A typical food service worker in the United States makes $35,840 a year, about $17 an hour, below a typical US worker ($50,980) (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
There’s no single routine in this broad job group: a food-prep worker might wash and cut produce, portion ingredients, and help serve meals. Between orders, they clean tools and counters and restock supplies.
Did you know? Surprise: U.S. federal rules let 14- and 15-year-olds do some food-prep work, but they cannot bake and may cook only in limited ways.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $25,470 and $47,550How do you become one?
In the U.S., many entry-level food-service jobs need no diploma or experience; workers usually learn from an experienced coworker. Some places require a food-worker card, and federal rules let 14- and 15-year-olds do only limited kitchen tasks.
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can vary with experience, location, employer type (restaurant, school, or hospital), and skilled or responsible duties. Longer hours or late shifts can change total pay, and a required food-safety card may matter; fame usually matters less in this broad job group.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Oregon ($39,080), lowest in Louisiana ($21,820).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25,470 | $35,840 | $47,550 | about 85,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $39,080 | about 600 |
| Illinois | $38,880 | about 3,000 |
| Arizona | $37,600 | about 1,000 |
| Maryland | $37,500 | about 4,000 |
| California | $36,910 | about 31,000 |
Official definition: All food preparation and serving related workers not listed separately.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/35-9099.00
- www.bls.gov/ooh/food-preparation-and-serving/food-preparation-workers.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/cwc/a-look-at-supplemental-pay-overtime-pay-bonuses-and-shi
- www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/58-child-labor-cooking-baking
- doh.wa.gov/community-and-environment/food/food-worker-and-industry/food-worker-c
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY