What are the main factors that influence a Food Service Associate's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Food Service Associate's salary?

A Food Service Associate's salary grows with experience: starting around $32,022 for beginners, reaching about $32,798 at mid-level, and approach $32,969 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Food Service Associate?

Food Service Associate salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Food Service Associate roles are District of Columbia $35,454, California $35,320, Massachusetts $34,849. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Food Service Associate roles make?

Salaries for Food Service Associate level roles vary by specialization: Food Service Director: $111,399; Food Service Operations Manager: $85,800; Food Services Manager: $85,774; University Food Services Associate Director: $77,790; Campus Food Services Associate Director: $77,760.

How do different companies affect a Food Service Associate's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Food Service Associate roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Food Service Associate Salary in the United States

How much does a Food Service Associate make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Food Service Associate in the United States is $32,022 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $15.

However, a Food Service Associate's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $36,181
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $29,208 to $34,199
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $26,646

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Food Service Associate Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$34,199	$2,850	$658	$16
Average	$32,022	$2,668	$616	$15
25th Percentile	$29,208	$2,434	$562	$14

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Check out Food Service Associate Job Openings in the United States

Food Service Manager

Christian Healthcare Ministries - Barberton, OH

Customer Service Associate

Opensity Solutions - Columbus, OH

Customer Service Associate

Aplin - Cincinnati, OH

Client Service Associate

Signal Tree Financial Partners LLC - Mayfield Heights, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Food Service Associate Salaries

A Food Service Associate'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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Food Service Associate Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Food Service Associate'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): $32,022
Early Career (1-2 years): $32,285
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $32,798
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $32,900
Expert (over 8 years): $32,969

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Food Service Associate	$32,022
Intermediate Level Food Service Associate	$32,285
Senior Level Food Service Associate	$32,798
Specialist Level Food Service Associate	$32,900
Expert Level Food Service Associate	$32,969

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Food Service Associate 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 Associates. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $35,454.
California: $35,320.
Massachusetts: $34,849.

District of Columbia $35,454 California $35,320 Massachusetts $34,849 Washington $34,721 New Jersey $34,708 Alaska $34,663 Connecticut $34,222 New York $34,042

Hawaii $33,469 Rhode Island $33,200 Maryland $33,018 Minnesota $32,768 Colorado $32,672 Illinois $32,640 Oregon $32,518 Delaware $32,428

New Hampshire $32,372 Virginia $32,246 Pennsylvania $31,878 Nevada $31,692 North Dakota $31,631 Michigan $31,535 Wisconsin $31,500 Vermont $31,429

Texas $31,234 Maine $31,221 Arizona $31,202 Ohio $31,180 Georgia $30,885 Indiana $30,738 Wyoming $30,709 Utah $30,664

Iowa $30,645 Kansas $30,491 Louisiana $30,446 North Carolina $30,430 Missouri $30,424 Florida $30,299 Montana $30,232 Nebraska $30,168

Kentucky $30,132 South Carolina $30,004 Tennessee $29,924 Idaho $29,892 New Mexico $29,658 Oklahoma $29,607 Alabama $29,418 South Dakota $29,101

Arkansas $28,928 West Virginia $28,836 Mississippi $28,557

Top Paying Cities for Food Service Associates

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: $40,389
San Francisco: $39,947
Oakland: $39,105

San Jose, CA $40,389

San Francisco, CA $39,947

Oakland, CA $39,105

New York, NY $36,869

Paramus, NJ $36,421

Queens Village, NY $36,420

Passaic, NJ $36,389

Bergenfield, NJ $36,386

Stamford, CT $36,316

Huntington, NY $36,303

Newark, NJ $36,066

Bridgeport, CT $35,998

Vallejo, CA $35,935

New Brunswick, NJ $35,922

Petaluma, CA $35,903

Middlesex, NJ $35,842

Somerset, NJ $35,819

Santa Cruz, CA $35,778

Boston, MA $35,583

Monterey, CA $35,470

Seattle, WA $35,397

Santa Rosa, CA $35,390

Los Angeles, CA $35,381

Juneau, AK $35,298

Washington, DC $35,262

Orange, CA $35,148

Santa Ana, CA $35,064

Long Beach, CA $35,032

Anaheim, CA $35,025

Anchorage, AK $35,009

Santa Maria, CA $34,913

Everett, WA $34,907

Danbury, CT $34,794

Bremerton, WA $34,750

Tacoma, WA $34,635

New Suffolk, NY $34,634

Sacramento, CA $34,625

Santa Barbara, CA $34,590

Trenton, NJ $34,555

San Diego, CA $34,555

Brockton, MA $34,519

Fairbanks, AK $34,441

Lompoc, CA $34,359

Lowell, MA $34,333

Ventura, CA $34,327

Nashua, NH $34,321

Stockton, CA $34,318

Modesto, CA $34,084

Poughkeepsie, NY $34,013

Olympia, WA $33,953

Kennewick, WA $33,953

New Haven, CT $33,940

Lawrence, MA $33,825

Hartford, CT $33,793

Riverside, CA $33,786

New Bedford, MA $33,754

Richland, WA $33,754

Bakersfield, CA $33,709

San Bernardino, CA $33,696

New Britain, CT $33,693

Atlantic City, NJ $33,693

New London, CT $33,680

Norwich, CT $33,671

Portsmouth, NH $33,664

Boulder, CO $33,597

Portland, OR $33,552

Worcester, MA $33,549

Minneapolis, MN $33,450

Philadelphia, PA $33,405

Honolulu, HI $33,299

Saint Paul, MN $33,284

Vineland, NJ $33,277

Providence, RI $33,184

Chicago, IL $33,091

Bellingham, WA $33,053

Springfield, MA $33,027

Baltimore, MD $33,018

Chico, CA $32,938

Pittsfield, MA $32,851

Manchester, NH $32,790

Spokane, WA $32,649

Denver, CO $32,646

Albany, NY $32,496

Troy, NY $32,483

Nassau, NY $32,449

Schenectady, NY $32,416

Wilmington, DE $32,390

Burlington, VT $32,345

Salem, OR $32,332

Portland, ME $32,233

Yakima, WA $32,201

Rochester, MN $32,102

Reno, NV $32,086

Fresno, CA $32,086

Milwaukee, WI $32,057

Detroit, MI $32,025

Ann Arbor, MI $32,019

Allentown, PA $32,015

Colorado Springs, CO $31,961

Syracuse, NY $31,945

Carson City, NV $31,945

Houston, TX $31,900

Eugene, OR $31,884

Gary, IN $31,846

Springfield, OR $31,820

Bismarck, ND $31,814

Galveston, TX $31,791

Medford, OR $31,743

Fort Collins, CO $31,730

Concord, NH $31,714

Austin, TX $31,705

Mesa, AZ $31,637

Reading, PA $31,634

Phoenix, AZ $31,631

Dallas, TX $31,621

Saint Cloud, MN $31,591

Madison, WI $31,548

Utica, NY $31,461

Rochester, NY $31,410

Des Moines, IA $31,407

Raleigh, NC $31,404

Atlanta, GA $31,356

Battle Creek, MI $31,346

Salt Lake City, UT $31,336

Lancaster, PA $31,288

Harrisburg, PA $31,244

Kansas City, MO $31,212

Champaign, IL $31,205

Kansas City, KS $31,205

Fort Worth, TX $31,202

Columbus, OH $31,197

Boca Raton, FL $31,189

Pittsburgh, PA $31,176

Richmond, VA $31,164

Indianapolis, IN $31,157

Cleveland, OH $31,154

Las Vegas, NV $31,115

Cincinnati, OH $31,115

Petersburg, VA $31,067

Huntsville, AL $31,019

Lansing, MI $30,998

Lebanon, PA $30,994

Pueblo, CO $30,991

Appleton, WI $30,981

Buffalo, NY $30,968

Dayton, OH $30,959

Racine, WI $30,952

Charlotte, NC $30,949

Saint Louis, MO $30,939

York, PA $30,920

Elkhart, IN $30,920

Gastonia, NC $30,914

Billings, MT $30,906

Beaumont, TX $30,898

Lorain, OH $30,891

Benton Harbor, MI $30,885

Toledo, OH $30,879

Binghamton, NY $30,863

Rock Hill, SC $30,859

Rockford, IL $30,843

Springfield, IL $30,830

Elyria, OH $30,827

Fargo, ND $30,827

Flagstaff, AZ $30,805

Fort Lauderdale, FL $30,786

Duluth, MN $30,766

Miami, FL $30,766

Cheyenne, WY $30,744

Grand Forks, ND $30,744

Bangor, ME $30,674

Cedar Rapids, IA $30,638

Durham, NC $30,625

Louisville, KY $30,622

Grand Rapids, MI $30,616

Hialeah, FL $30,613

Casper, WY $30,568

Scranton, PA $30,529

New Orleans, LA $30,520

Virginia Beach, VA $30,517

Akron, OH $30,501

Peoria, IL $30,459

Sarasota, FL $30,453

Nashville, TN $30,430

Omaha, NE $30,430

Green Bay, WI $30,430

Baton Rouge, LA $30,414

Charleston, SC $30,408

Jamestown, NY $30,392

Davenport, IA $30,392

Tucson, AZ $30,376

Saint Petersburg, FL $30,357

Tampa, FL $30,350

Evansville, IN $30,331

Port Arthur, TX $30,331

Bradenton, FL $30,318

Santa Fe, NM $30,261

Orlando, FL $30,203

Clearwater, FL $30,193

Canton, OH $30,126

La Crosse, WI $30,126

Albuquerque, NM $30,107

Newport News, VA $30,104

High Point, NC $30,094

Ogden, UT $30,081

Corpus Christi, TX $30,056

Norfolk, VA $30,036

Laramie, WY $30,036

Rock Island, IL $30,017

Saginaw, MI $30,011

Jacksonville, FL $30,008

Salisbury, NC $30,001

Boise, ID $29,995

Moline, IL $29,979

Fort Myers, FL $29,969

Memphis, TN $29,963

Tulsa, OK $29,947

Waterloo, IA $29,927

Spartanburg, SC $29,895

Lincoln, NE $29,879

Fort Wayne, IN $29,873

Provo, UT $29,870

Cedar Falls, IA $29,831

San Antonio, TX $29,819

Greensboro, NC $29,806

South Bend, IN $29,803

Savannah, GA $29,767

Muskegon, MI $29,755

Birmingham, AL $29,751

Winston Salem, NC $29,736

Lake Charles, LA $29,658

Anderson, IN $29,652

Lexington, KY $29,642

Augusta, GA $29,633

Greenville, SC $29,633

Lima, OH $29,607

Wichita, KS $29,604

Tuscaloosa, AL $29,604

Columbia, SC $29,575

Springfield, OH $29,569

Asheville, NC $29,518

Bloomington, IN $29,495

Knoxville, TN $29,380

Shreveport, LA $29,377

Wilmington, NC $29,335

Roanoke, VA $29,335

Topeka, KS $29,277

Frankfort, KY $29,274

Oklahoma City, OK $29,252

Chillicothe, OH $29,239

Longview, TX $29,236

Melbourne, FL $29,233

Sioux Falls, SD $29,181

Mobile, AL $29,178

Terre Haute, IN $29,165

Altoona, PA $29,146

Amarillo, TX $29,124

Killeen, TX $29,114

Fayetteville, AR $29,089

Chattanooga, TN $29,079

Sioux City, IA $29,050

Idaho Falls, ID $29,044

Lynchburg, VA $29,018

Gainesville, FL $28,976

Portsmouth, OH $28,960

Little Rock, AR $28,954

Lafayette, LA $28,941

Youngstown, OH $28,941

Daytona Beach, FL $28,922

Clarksville, TN $28,919

Pensacola, FL $28,916

Temple, TX $28,913

Hopkinsville, KY $28,820

Erie, PA $28,813

Florence, SC $28,800

Charleston, WV $28,749

Great Falls, MT $28,733

Macon, GA $28,688

Tallahassee, FL $28,685

Fayetteville, NC $28,679

Waco, TX $28,672

Helena, MT $28,650

Pine Bluff, AR $28,638

Vincennes, IN $28,599

Lubbock, TX $28,586

Alamogordo, NM $28,567

Twin Falls, ID $28,538

Rapid City, SD $28,528

Jackson, MS $28,470

Huntington, WV $28,468

Greenville, MS $28,467

Parkersburg, WV $28,435

Montgomery, AL $28,429

Wichita Falls, TX $28,397

Springfield, MO $28,397

Biloxi, MS $28,381

Monroe, LA $28,349

Johnstown, PA $28,326

Sumter, SC $28,314

Columbus, GA $28,310

Pascagoula, MS $28,250

Abilene, TX $28,250

Kingsport, TN $28,166

Albany, GA $28,166

Gulfport, MS $28,157

Alexandria, LA $28,051

Fort Smith, AR $27,971

El Paso, TX $27,884

Las Cruces, NM $27,740

Harlingen, TX $27,659

Pocatello, ID $27,654

Florence, AL $27,612

Brownsville, TX $27,606

Mcallen, TX $27,539

Dothan, AL $27,494

Columbus, MS $27,304

Altus, OK $27,154

Lawton, OK $27,094

Pierre, SD $26,978

What Skills Can Increase a Food Service Associate's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Commitment (Mentioned in 9.34% 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.
Healthcare Services (Mentioned in 3.03% Job Postings): The improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health professionals and allied health fields.
POS System (Mentioned in 2.12% Job Postings): Point-of-sale system is the hardware and software that enable your business to make those sales.A point of sale, or point of purchase, is where you ring up customers.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Commitment	9.34%
Healthcare Services	3.03%
POS System	2.12%

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 Service Associate's salary.

SOP: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.
Hard Working: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Organizing: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
SOP	$37,465	17%
Hard Working	$34,263	7%
Organizing	$34,263	7%
Problem Solving	$34,263	7%
Organizational Skills	$33,943	6%
Commitment	$33,623	5%

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How Education impacts a Food Service Associate's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Food Service Associates enter the field with a No Diploma 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 Associate with a No Diploma is between $28,238 and $30,684).

Food Service Associate Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Food Service Associate

No Diploma 5.8%

High School 52.8%

Associates 13.0%

Bachelors 26.0%

Masters 2.1%

Doctorate 0.3%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	5.8%
High School	52.8%
Associates	13.0%
Bachelors	26.0%
Masters	2.1%
Doctorate	0.3%

view as graph

Food Service Associate Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Food Service Associate'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.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

$29,208

Average $32,022/year

$34,199

$2,434

Average $2,668/month

$2,850

$562

Average $616/week

$658

$14

Average $15/hour

$16

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$34,199	$2,850	$658	$16
Average	$32,022	$2,668	$616	$15
25th Percentile	$29,208	$2,434	$562	$14

Salaries of jobs related to Food Service Associate

Salary Trends for Food Service Associate

Salaries for a Food Service Associate can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $31,370 in 2023 to around $30,857 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Food Service Associate salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Food Service Associate Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$31,370

2024

$31,218

2025

$30,857

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$31,370
2024	$31,218
2025	$30,857
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Food Service Associate

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401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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