How much does a Food Service Worker make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Food Service Worker in the United States is $32,446 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $16.
However, a Food Service Worker's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $36,889
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $29,886 to $34,772
Key Factors That Influence Food Service Worker Salaries
A Food Service Worker's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Do Food Service Worker Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Food Service Workers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $40,924
San Francisco: $40,476
Oakland: $39,623
San Jose, CA$40,924
San Francisco, CA$40,476
Oakland, CA$39,623
New York, NY$37,358
Paramus, NJ$36,904
Queens Village, NY$36,902
Passaic, NJ$36,871
Bergenfield, NJ$36,868
Stamford, CT$36,797
Huntington, NY$36,784
Newark, NJ$36,544
Bridgeport, CT$36,475
Vallejo, CA$36,411
New Brunswick, NJ$36,398
Petaluma, CA$36,378
Middlesex, NJ$36,317
Somerset, NJ$36,294
Santa Cruz, CA$36,252
Boston, MA$36,054
Monterey, CA$35,940
Seattle, WA$35,866
Santa Rosa, CA$35,859
Los Angeles, CA$35,850
Juneau, AK$35,765
Washington, DC$35,730
Orange, CA$35,614
Santa Ana, CA$35,528
Long Beach, CA$35,496
Anaheim, CA$35,489
Anchorage, AK$35,473
Santa Maria, CA$35,376
Everett, WA$35,369
Danbury, CT$35,255
Bremerton, WA$35,210
Tacoma, WA$35,094
New Suffolk, NY$35,093
Sacramento, CA$35,084
Santa Barbara, CA$35,048
Trenton, NJ$35,012
San Diego, CA$35,012
Brockton, MA$34,977
Fairbanks, AK$34,897
Lompoc, CA$34,815
Lowell, MA$34,788
Ventura, CA$34,782
Nashua, NH$34,776
Stockton, CA$34,772
Modesto, CA$34,536
Poughkeepsie, NY$34,464
Olympia, WA$34,402
Kennewick, WA$34,402
New Haven, CT$34,390
Lawrence, MA$34,273
Hartford, CT$34,240
Riverside, CA$34,234
New Bedford, MA$34,201
Richland, WA$34,201
Bakersfield, CA$34,156
San Bernardino, CA$34,143
New Britain, CT$34,140
Atlantic City, NJ$34,140
New London, CT$34,127
Norwich, CT$34,117
Portsmouth, NH$34,110
Boulder, CO$34,042
Portland, OR$33,997
Worcester, MA$33,994
Minneapolis, MN$33,893
Philadelphia, PA$33,848
Honolulu, HI$33,741
Saint Paul, MN$33,725
Vineland, NJ$33,718
Providence, RI$33,624
Chicago, IL$33,530
Bellingham, WA$33,491
Springfield, MA$33,465
Baltimore, MD$33,455
Chico, CA$33,374
Pittsfield, MA$33,286
Manchester, NH$33,225
Spokane, WA$33,082
Denver, CO$33,079
Albany, NY$32,926
Troy, NY$32,913
Nassau, NY$32,879
Schenectady, NY$32,845
Wilmington, DE$32,819
Burlington, VT$32,774
Salem, OR$32,761
Portland, ME$32,660
Yakima, WA$32,628
Rochester, MN$32,527
Reno, NV$32,511
Fresno, CA$32,511
Milwaukee, WI$32,482
Detroit, MI$32,449
Ann Arbor, MI$32,444
Allentown, PA$32,440
Colorado Springs, CO$32,384
Syracuse, NY$32,368
Carson City, NV$32,368
Houston, TX$32,323
Eugene, OR$32,306
Gary, IN$32,268
Springfield, OR$32,242
Bismarck, ND$32,235
Galveston, TX$32,212
Medford, OR$32,164
Fort Collins, CO$32,151
Concord, NH$32,135
Austin, TX$32,125
Mesa, AZ$32,057
Reading, PA$32,053
Phoenix, AZ$32,050
Dallas, TX$32,040
Saint Cloud, MN$32,009
Madison, WI$31,966
Utica, NY$31,878
Rochester, NY$31,826
Des Moines, IA$31,823
Raleigh, NC$31,820
Atlanta, GA$31,771
Battle Creek, MI$31,761
Salt Lake City, UT$31,752
Lancaster, PA$31,703
Harrisburg, PA$31,658
Kansas City, MO$31,625
Champaign, IL$31,619
Kansas City, KS$31,619
Fort Worth, TX$31,615
Columbus, OH$31,610
Boca Raton, FL$31,602
Pittsburgh, PA$31,589
Richmond, VA$31,576
Indianapolis, IN$31,570
Cleveland, OH$31,567
Las Vegas, NV$31,528
Cincinnati, OH$31,528
Petersburg, VA$31,479
Huntsville, AL$31,430
Lansing, MI$31,409
Lebanon, PA$31,404
Pueblo, CO$31,401
Appleton, WI$31,392
Buffalo, NY$31,379
Dayton, OH$31,369
Racine, WI$31,362
Charlotte, NC$31,359
Saint Louis, MO$31,349
York, PA$31,330
Elkhart, IN$31,330
Gastonia, NC$31,324
Billings, MT$31,316
Beaumont, TX$31,307
Lorain, OH$31,301
Benton Harbor, MI$31,294
Toledo, OH$31,288
Binghamton, NY$31,271
Rock Hill, SC$31,268
Rockford, IL$31,252
Springfield, IL$31,239
Elyria, OH$31,236
Fargo, ND$31,236
Flagstaff, AZ$31,213
Fort Lauderdale, FL$31,194
Duluth, MN$31,174
Miami, FL$31,174
Cheyenne, WY$31,151
Grand Forks, ND$31,151
Bangor, ME$31,080
Cedar Rapids, IA$31,044
Durham, NC$31,031
Louisville, KY$31,028
Grand Rapids, MI$31,022
Hialeah, FL$31,018
Casper, WY$30,973
Scranton, PA$30,934
New Orleans, LA$30,924
Virginia Beach, VA$30,921
Akron, OH$30,905
Peoria, IL$30,863
Sarasota, FL$30,856
Nashville, TN$30,833
Omaha, NE$30,833
Green Bay, WI$30,833
Baton Rouge, LA$30,817
Charleston, SC$30,811
Jamestown, NY$30,794
Davenport, IA$30,794
Tucson, AZ$30,778
Saint Petersburg, FL$30,759
Tampa, FL$30,752
Evansville, IN$30,733
Port Arthur, TX$30,733
Bradenton, FL$30,720
Santa Fe, NM$30,661
Orlando, FL$30,603
Clearwater, FL$30,593
Canton, OH$30,525
La Crosse, WI$30,525
Albuquerque, NM$30,506
Newport News, VA$30,502
High Point, NC$30,493
Ogden, UT$30,480
Corpus Christi, TX$30,454
Norfolk, VA$30,434
Laramie, WY$30,434
Rock Island, IL$30,415
Saginaw, MI$30,408
Jacksonville, FL$30,405
Salisbury, NC$30,399
Boise, ID$30,392
Moline, IL$30,376
Fort Myers, FL$30,366
Memphis, TN$30,360
Tulsa, OK$30,343
Waterloo, IA$30,324
Spartanburg, SC$30,292
Lincoln, NE$30,275
Fort Wayne, IN$30,269
Provo, UT$30,266
Cedar Falls, IA$30,227
San Antonio, TX$30,214
Greensboro, NC$30,201
South Bend, IN$30,197
Savannah, GA$30,162
Muskegon, MI$30,149
Birmingham, AL$30,146
Winston Salem, NC$30,130
Lake Charles, LA$30,051
Anderson, IN$30,045
Lexington, KY$30,035
Augusta, GA$30,026
Greenville, SC$30,026
Lima, OH$30,000
Wichita, KS$29,996
Tuscaloosa, AL$29,996
Columbia, SC$29,967
Springfield, OH$29,961
Asheville, NC$29,909
Bloomington, IN$29,886
Knoxville, TN$29,769
Shreveport, LA$29,766
Wilmington, NC$29,724
Roanoke, VA$29,724
Topeka, KS$29,665
Frankfort, KY$29,662
Oklahoma City, OK$29,639
Chillicothe, OH$29,626
Longview, TX$29,623
Melbourne, FL$29,620
Sioux Falls, SD$29,568
Mobile, AL$29,565
Terre Haute, IN$29,552
Altoona, PA$29,532
Amarillo, TX$29,510
Killeen, TX$29,500
Fayetteville, AR$29,474
Chattanooga, TN$29,464
Sioux City, IA$29,435
Idaho Falls, ID$29,429
Lynchburg, VA$29,403
Gainesville, FL$29,360
Portsmouth, OH$29,344
Little Rock, AR$29,338
Lafayette, LA$29,325
Youngstown, OH$29,325
Daytona Beach, FL$29,305
Clarksville, TN$29,302
Pensacola, FL$29,299
Temple, TX$29,296
Hopkinsville, KY$29,201
Erie, PA$29,195
Florence, SC$29,182
Charleston, WV$29,130
Great Falls, MT$29,114
Macon, GA$29,068
Tallahassee, FL$29,065
Fayetteville, NC$29,059
Waco, TX$29,052
Helena, MT$29,029
Pine Bluff, AR$29,017
Vincennes, IN$28,978
Lubbock, TX$28,965
Alamogordo, NM$28,945
Twin Falls, ID$28,916
Rapid City, SD$28,906
Jackson, MS$28,848
Huntington, WV$28,845
Greenville, MS$28,844
Parkersburg, WV$28,811
Montgomery, AL$28,806
Wichita Falls, TX$28,773
Springfield, MO$28,773
Biloxi, MS$28,757
Monroe, LA$28,724
Johnstown, PA$28,702
Sumter, SC$28,689
Columbus, GA$28,686
Pascagoula, MS$28,624
Abilene, TX$28,624
Kingsport, TN$28,540
Albany, GA$28,540
Gulfport, MS$28,530
Alexandria, LA$28,423
Fort Smith, AR$28,342
El Paso, TX$28,254
Las Cruces, NM$28,108
Harlingen, TX$28,026
Pocatello, ID$28,020
Florence, AL$27,978
Brownsville, TX$27,972
Mcallen, TX$27,904
Dothan, AL$27,858
Columbus, MS$27,665
Altus, OK$27,514
Lawton, OK$27,453
Pierre, SD$27,336
What Skills Can Increase a Food Service Worker's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Customer Service (Mentioned in 14.61% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Foodservice (Mentioned in 2.87% Job Postings): The foodservice or catering industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home. It includes restaurants, school and hospital cafeterias, catering operations, and many other formats.
Catering (Mentioned in 1.44% Job Postings): Catering is the business of providing food service at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, hospital, pub, aircraft, cruise ship, park, festival, filming location or film studio.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Food Service Worker's salary.
Generosity: Can increase your salary by up to 38%.
WFM: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Food Service Worker Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Food Service Worker roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 32% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Software & Networking and Pharmaceuticals
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 18% above the average.
In contrast, Food Service Worker positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Food Service Worker as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Food Service Worker
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking
$38,286
$18.0
18%
Pharmaceuticals
$37,313
$18.0
15%
Biotechnology
$36,340
$17.0
12%
Energy & Utilities
$35,691
$17.0
10%
Aerospace & Defense
$35,042
$17.0
8%
How Education impacts a Food Service Worker's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Food Service Workers enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Food Service Worker with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$32,120
and $34,508).
Food Service Worker Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Food Service Worker's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Salaries for a Food Service Worker can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $31,425 in 2023
to around $30,911 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Food Service Worker salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Food Service Worker Over Time
$???
$31,425
$31,273
$30,911
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$31,425
2024
$31,273
2025
$30,911
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Food Service Worker
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Food Service Worker
Here are companies hiring for Food Service Worker and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next Food Service Worker Job
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Food Service Worker job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
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FAQ about Food Service Worker
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Food Service Worker?
The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Food Service Worker roles,
with salaries approximately 18% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
