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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018

35-0000 Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations (Major Group)

This major group comprises the following occupations: Chefs and Head Cooks ; First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers ; Cooks, Fast Food ; Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria ; Cooks, Private Household ; Cooks, Restaurant ; Cooks, Short Order ; Cooks, All Other ; Food Preparation Workers ; Bartenders ; Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food ; Counter Attendants, Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop ; Waiters and Waitresses ; Food Servers, Nonrestaurant ; Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers ; Dishwashers ; Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop ; Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this major group:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
13,374,620 0.1 % $12.30 $25,580 0.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for this major group:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $8.49 $9.33 $11.09 $13.59 $17.96
Annual Wage (2) $17,660 $19,410 $23,070 $28,270 $37,360


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 9,647,490 90.22 $11.94 $24,830
Special Food Services 581,630 81.08 $13.45 $27,980
Traveler Accommodation 511,820 25.59 $14.72 $30,610
Food and Beverage Stores (4451 and 4452 only) 383,430 13.12 $12.62 $26,250
Elementary and Secondary Schools 368,050 4.31 $12.92 $26,880

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 9,647,490 90.22 $11.94 $24,830
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 334,680 85.51 $12.40 $25,790
Special Food Services 581,630 81.08 $13.45 $27,980
Rooming and Boarding Houses 4,290 35.93 $12.68 $26,370
Traveler Accommodation 511,820 25.59 $14.72 $30,610

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities 50 0.01 $21.42 $44,550
Rail Transportation 830 0.36 $21.21 $44,120
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 12,530 0.63 $19.96 $41,510
Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services 80 0.02 $19.70 $40,970
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 40 0.01 $19.07 $39,670


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 1,594,570 93.76 1.01 $13.91 $28,930
Texas 1,161,420 95.88 1.04 $11.47 $23,860
Florida 933,780 108.47 1.17 $12.25 $25,470
New York 773,400 82.40 0.89 $14.91 $31,000
Illinois 506,720 84.58 0.92 $11.75 $24,440




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada 188,280 139.76 1.51 $12.92 $26,880
Hawaii 85,770 133.63 1.45 $17.94 $37,320
Montana 51,120 110.35 1.19 $11.32 $23,550
Florida 933,780 108.47 1.17 $12.25 $25,470
New Mexico 83,420 102.78 1.11 $10.60 $22,060




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 59,210 83.11 0.90 $18.02 $37,480
Hawaii 85,770 133.63 1.45 $17.94 $37,320
Washington 294,260 90.29 0.98 $15.23 $31,670
Vermont 26,560 87.02 0.94 $15.07 $31,330
New York 773,400 82.40 0.89 $14.91 $31,000





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 730,870 76.95 0.83 $14.96 $31,120
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 580,800 94.92 1.03 $13.38 $27,830
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 386,120 83.18 0.90 $11.98 $24,920
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 322,880 90.49 0.98 $11.54 $24,010
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 277,440 93.02 1.01 $11.95 $24,860
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 260,490 83.09 0.90 $14.00 $29,120
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 257,310 99.34 1.07 $12.47 $25,950
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 250,410 93.33 1.01 $10.54 $21,920
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 235,690 82.74 0.90 $12.53 $26,050
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 228,750 82.92 0.90 $14.99 $31,180