How much does a Food Prep/Dishwasher make in the United States?
As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Food Prep/Dishwasher in the United States is $32,389 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $16.
However, a Food Prep/Dishwasher's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $36,521
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $30,068 to $34,552
Key Factors That Influence Food Prep/Dishwasher Salaries
A Food Prep/Dishwasher's salary isn't a fixed number.
It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Food Prep/Dishwasher Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Food Prep/Dishwasher's salary.
As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases.
Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $31,805
Early Career (1-2 years): $32,230
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $32,930
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $33,025
Expert (over 8 years): $33,184
Levels
Salary
Entry Level Food Prep/Dishwasher
$31,805
Intermediate Level Food Prep/Dishwasher
$32,230
Senior Level Food Prep/Dishwasher
$32,930
Specialist Level Food Prep/Dishwasher
$33,025
Expert Level Food Prep/Dishwasher
$33,184
$31,8050 yr
$32,230< 2 yrs
$32,9302-4 yrs
$33,0255-8 yrs
$33,184> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Food Prep/Dishwasher 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 Prep/Dishwashers.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $35,861.
California: $35,725.
Massachusetts: $35,249.
District of Columbia$35,861
California$35,725
Massachusetts$35,249
Washington$35,120
New Jersey$35,107
Alaska$35,061
Connecticut$34,614
New York$34,433
Hawaii$33,853
Rhode Island$33,581
Maryland$33,397
Minnesota$33,144
Colorado$33,047
Illinois$33,014
Oregon$32,891
Delaware$32,801
New Hampshire$32,744
Virginia$32,616
Pennsylvania$32,243
Nevada$32,056
North Dakota$31,994
Michigan$31,897
Wisconsin$31,861
Vermont$31,790
Texas$31,592
Maine$31,579
Arizona$31,560
Ohio$31,537
Georgia$31,239
Indiana$31,090
Wyoming$31,061
Utah$31,016
Iowa$30,996
Kansas$30,841
Louisiana$30,796
North Carolina$30,779
Missouri$30,773
Florida$30,647
Montana$30,579
Nebraska$30,514
Kentucky$30,478
South Carolina$30,349
Tennessee$30,268
Idaho$30,235
New Mexico$29,999
Oklahoma$29,947
Alabama$29,756
South Dakota$29,435
Arkansas$29,260
West Virginia$29,166
Mississippi$28,885
Top Paying Cities for Food Prep/Dishwashers
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: $40,852
San Francisco: $40,405
Oakland: $39,554
San Jose, CA$40,852
San Francisco, CA$40,405
Oakland, CA$39,554
New York, NY$37,293
Paramus, NJ$36,839
Queens Village, NY$36,838
Passaic, NJ$36,807
Bergenfield, NJ$36,804
Stamford, CT$36,733
Huntington, NY$36,719
Newark, NJ$36,480
Bridgeport, CT$36,412
Vallejo, CA$36,347
New Brunswick, NJ$36,334
Petaluma, CA$36,315
Middlesex, NJ$36,253
Somerset, NJ$36,231
Santa Cruz, CA$36,188
Boston, MA$35,991
Monterey, CA$35,877
Seattle, WA$35,803
Santa Rosa, CA$35,797
Los Angeles, CA$35,787
Juneau, AK$35,703
Washington, DC$35,667
Orange, CA$35,552
Santa Ana, CA$35,466
Long Beach, CA$35,434
Anaheim, CA$35,427
Anchorage, AK$35,411
Santa Maria, CA$35,314
Everett, WA$35,307
Danbury, CT$35,193
Bremerton, WA$35,149
Tacoma, WA$35,032
New Suffolk, NY$35,032
Sacramento, CA$35,022
Santa Barbara, CA$34,987
Trenton, NJ$34,951
San Diego, CA$34,951
Brockton, MA$34,916
Fairbanks, AK$34,836
Lompoc, CA$34,754
Lowell, MA$34,727
Ventura, CA$34,721
Nashua, NH$34,715
Stockton, CA$34,712
Modesto, CA$34,475
Poughkeepsie, NY$34,404
Olympia, WA$34,342
Kennewick, WA$34,342
New Haven, CT$34,329
Lawrence, MA$34,213
Hartford, CT$34,180
Riverside, CA$34,174
New Bedford, MA$34,141
Richland, WA$34,141
Bakersfield, CA$34,096
San Bernardino, CA$34,083
New Britain, CT$34,080
Atlantic City, NJ$34,080
New London, CT$34,067
Norwich, CT$34,057
Portsmouth, NH$34,051
Boulder, CO$33,982
Portland, OR$33,937
Worcester, MA$33,934
Minneapolis, MN$33,834
Philadelphia, PA$33,788
Honolulu, HI$33,682
Saint Paul, MN$33,666
Vineland, NJ$33,659
Providence, RI$33,565
Chicago, IL$33,471
Bellingham, WA$33,432
Springfield, MA$33,406
Baltimore, MD$33,397
Chico, CA$33,316
Pittsfield, MA$33,228
Manchester, NH$33,167
Spokane, WA$33,024
Denver, CO$33,021
Albany, NY$32,869
Troy, NY$32,856
Nassau, NY$32,821
Schenectady, NY$32,788
Wilmington, DE$32,762
Burlington, VT$32,716
Salem, OR$32,703
Portland, ME$32,603
Yakima, WA$32,571
Rochester, MN$32,470
Reno, NV$32,454
Fresno, CA$32,454
Milwaukee, WI$32,425
Detroit, MI$32,392
Ann Arbor, MI$32,387
Allentown, PA$32,383
Colorado Springs, CO$32,328
Syracuse, NY$32,311
Carson City, NV$32,311
Houston, TX$32,266
Eugene, OR$32,250
Gary, IN$32,211
Springfield, OR$32,185
Bismarck, ND$32,179
Galveston, TX$32,156
Medford, OR$32,107
Fort Collins, CO$32,094
Concord, NH$32,078
Austin, TX$32,069
Mesa, AZ$32,001
Reading, PA$31,997
Phoenix, AZ$31,994
Dallas, TX$31,984
Saint Cloud, MN$31,953
Madison, WI$31,910
Utica, NY$31,822
Rochester, NY$31,771
Des Moines, IA$31,767
Raleigh, NC$31,764
Atlanta, GA$31,716
Battle Creek, MI$31,706
Salt Lake City, UT$31,696
Lancaster, PA$31,647
Harrisburg, PA$31,602
Kansas City, MO$31,570
Champaign, IL$31,563
Kansas City, KS$31,563
Fort Worth, TX$31,560
Columbus, OH$31,555
Boca Raton, FL$31,547
Pittsburgh, PA$31,534
Richmond, VA$31,521
Indianapolis, IN$31,515
Cleveland, OH$31,511
Las Vegas, NV$31,473
Cincinnati, OH$31,473
Petersburg, VA$31,424
Huntsville, AL$31,375
Lansing, MI$31,354
Lebanon, PA$31,350
Pueblo, CO$31,346
Appleton, WI$31,337
Buffalo, NY$31,324
Dayton, OH$31,314
Racine, WI$31,307
Charlotte, NC$31,304
Saint Louis, MO$31,294
York, PA$31,275
Elkhart, IN$31,275
Gastonia, NC$31,269
Billings, MT$31,261
Beaumont, TX$31,252
Lorain, OH$31,246
Benton Harbor, MI$31,239
Toledo, OH$31,233
Binghamton, NY$31,217
Rock Hill, SC$31,213
Rockford, IL$31,197
Springfield, IL$31,184
Elyria, OH$31,181
Fargo, ND$31,181
Flagstaff, AZ$31,158
Fort Lauderdale, FL$31,139
Duluth, MN$31,120
Miami, FL$31,120
Cheyenne, WY$31,097
Grand Forks, ND$31,097
Bangor, ME$31,026
Cedar Rapids, IA$30,990
Durham, NC$30,976
Louisville, KY$30,974
Grand Rapids, MI$30,967
Hialeah, FL$30,964
Casper, WY$30,919
Scranton, PA$30,880
New Orleans, LA$30,870
Virginia Beach, VA$30,867
Akron, OH$30,851
Peoria, IL$30,809
Sarasota, FL$30,802
Nashville, TN$30,779
Omaha, NE$30,779
Green Bay, WI$30,779
Baton Rouge, LA$30,763
Charleston, SC$30,757
Jamestown, NY$30,741
Davenport, IA$30,741
Tucson, AZ$30,724
Saint Petersburg, FL$30,705
Tampa, FL$30,698
Evansville, IN$30,679
Port Arthur, TX$30,679
Bradenton, FL$30,666
Santa Fe, NM$30,608
Orlando, FL$30,549
Clearwater, FL$30,540
Canton, OH$30,472
La Crosse, WI$30,472
Albuquerque, NM$30,452
Newport News, VA$30,449
High Point, NC$30,439
Ogden, UT$30,426
Corpus Christi, TX$30,401
Norfolk, VA$30,381
Laramie, WY$30,381
Rock Island, IL$30,362
Saginaw, MI$30,355
Jacksonville, FL$30,352
Salisbury, NC$30,345
Boise, ID$30,339
Moline, IL$30,323
Fort Myers, FL$30,313
Memphis, TN$30,307
Tulsa, OK$30,290
Waterloo, IA$30,271
Spartanburg, SC$30,239
Lincoln, NE$30,222
Fort Wayne, IN$30,216
Provo, UT$30,213
Cedar Falls, IA$30,174
San Antonio, TX$30,161
Greensboro, NC$30,148
South Bend, IN$30,145
Savannah, GA$30,109
Muskegon, MI$30,096
Birmingham, AL$30,093
Winston Salem, NC$30,077
Lake Charles, LA$29,999
Anderson, IN$29,992
Lexington, KY$29,983
Augusta, GA$29,973
Greenville, SC$29,973
Lima, OH$29,947
Wichita, KS$29,944
Tuscaloosa, AL$29,944
Columbia, SC$29,915
Springfield, OH$29,908
Asheville, NC$29,856
Bloomington, IN$29,834
Knoxville, TN$29,717
Shreveport, LA$29,714
Wilmington, NC$29,672
Roanoke, VA$29,672
Topeka, KS$29,613
Frankfort, KY$29,610
Oklahoma City, OK$29,588
Chillicothe, OH$29,575
Longview, TX$29,571
Melbourne, FL$29,568
Sioux Falls, SD$29,516
Mobile, AL$29,513
Terre Haute, IN$29,500
Altoona, PA$29,481
Amarillo, TX$29,458
Killeen, TX$29,448
Fayetteville, AR$29,422
Chattanooga, TN$29,413
Sioux City, IA$29,383
Idaho Falls, ID$29,377
Lynchburg, VA$29,351
Gainesville, FL$29,309
Portsmouth, OH$29,293
Little Rock, AR$29,286
Lafayette, LA$29,273
Youngstown, OH$29,273
Daytona Beach, FL$29,254
Clarksville, TN$29,251
Pensacola, FL$29,247
Temple, TX$29,245
Hopkinsville, KY$29,150
Erie, PA$29,144
Florence, SC$29,131
Charleston, WV$29,079
Great Falls, MT$29,063
Macon, GA$29,017
Tallahassee, FL$29,014
Fayetteville, NC$29,008
Waco, TX$29,001
Helena, MT$28,979
Pine Bluff, AR$28,966
Vincennes, IN$28,927
Lubbock, TX$28,914
Alamogordo, NM$28,894
Twin Falls, ID$28,865
Rapid City, SD$28,856
Jackson, MS$28,797
Huntington, WV$28,795
Greenville, MS$28,794
Parkersburg, WV$28,761
Montgomery, AL$28,755
Wichita Falls, TX$28,723
Springfield, MO$28,723
Biloxi, MS$28,707
Monroe, LA$28,674
Johnstown, PA$28,651
Sumter, SC$28,639
Columbus, GA$28,635
Pascagoula, MS$28,574
Abilene, TX$28,574
Kingsport, TN$28,490
Albany, GA$28,490
Gulfport, MS$28,480
Alexandria, LA$28,373
Fort Smith, AR$28,292
El Paso, TX$28,205
Las Cruces, NM$28,059
Harlingen, TX$27,976
Pocatello, ID$27,971
Florence, AL$27,929
Brownsville, TX$27,923
Mcallen, TX$27,855
Dothan, AL$27,809
Columbus, MS$27,617
Altus, OK$27,466
Lawton, OK$27,405
Pierre, SD$27,288
What Skills Can Increase a Food Prep/Dishwasher's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Commitment (Mentioned in 6.26% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Food Service (Mentioned in 5.1% Job Postings): The foodservice or catering industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home.
Work Ethic (Mentioned in 2.19% Job Postings): A belief that work and diligence have a moral benefit and an inherent ability, virtue or value to strengthen character and individual abilities. A set of values centered on importance of work and manifested by determination or desire to work hard.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Commitment
6.26%
Food Service
5.1%
Work Ethic
2.19%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
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 Prep/Dishwasher's salary.
Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
WFM: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Food Safety: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Commitment
$34,009
5%
WFM
$33,361
3%
Food Safety
$33,037
2%
Innovation
$33,037
2%
Dedication
$33,037
2%
Customer Service
$33,037
2%
Get Latest Data
Food Prep/Dishwasher Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Food Prep/Dishwasher roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare,
offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely,
Food Prep/Dishwasher positions in Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay,
as this sector often view Food Prep/Dishwasher as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industry for a Food Prep/Dishwasher
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare
$38,867
$19.0
20%
Food Prep/Dishwasher Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Food Prep/Dishwasher'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 Prep/Dishwasher can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $33,579 in 2023
to around $32,845 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Food Prep/Dishwasher salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Food Prep/Dishwasher Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$33,579
2024
$33,478
2025
$32,845
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$33,579
2024
$33,478
2025
$32,845
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Food Prep/Dishwasher
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.
Compensation Planning
Common company salaries for Food Prep/Dishwasher
Here are companies hiring for Food Prep/Dishwasher and their salaries, click below for more details.
M
$110,264/per year
Mskcc
Healthcare
the United States
H
$108,691/per year
Health Street
Healthcare
the United States
P
$107,827/per year
Prime Healthcare Services
Healthcare
the United States
A
$104,578/per year
Adventist Health
Healthcare
the United States
T
$101,083/per year
Texas Medical Center
Healthcare
the United States
T
$100,767/per year
The Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia
Healthcare
the United States
N
$99,882/per year
NorthShore
Healthcare
the United States
U
$97,460/per year
University of Chicago Hospitals
Healthcare
the United States
K
$96,749/per year
Kernan Hospital
Healthcare
the United States
H
$96,571/per year
Henry Ford Hospital
Healthcare
the United States
K
$95,670/per year
Kroger Health
Healthcare
the United States
L
$95,092/per year
Lehigh Valley Health Network
Healthcare
the United States
S
$94,767/per year
ScionHealth
Healthcare
the United States
U
$94,333/per year
University of Rochester Medical Center
Healthcare
the United States
L
$94,268/per year
Loma Linda University Health
Healthcare
the United States
L
$93,912/per year
LifePoint Health Inc
Healthcare
the United States
C
$92,971/per year
Capital Division Inc
Healthcare
the United States
B
$92,922/per year
BJC HealthCare
Healthcare
the United States
U
$92,510/per year
UNC Health Care
Healthcare
the United States
O
$91,738/per year
OSF Healthcare System
Healthcare
the United States
C
$91,459/per year
Corewell Health
Healthcare
the United States
B
$91,170/per year
BrightSpring Health Services
Healthcare
the United States
V
$90,584/per year
Vanguard Health Systems Inc
Healthcare
the United States
A
$90,084/per year
AdventHealth
Healthcare
the United States
O
$86,641/per year
Ochsner Health System
Healthcare
the United States
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FAQ about Food Prep/Dishwasher
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Food Prep/Dishwasher?
The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Food Prep/Dishwasher roles,
with salaries approximately 20% 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.
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