Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010

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)
11,027,340 0.2 % $10.21 $21,240 0.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for this major group:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $7.60 $8.13 $9.02 $11.11 $14.61
Annual Wage (2) $15,800 $16,920 $18,770 $23,110 $30,380

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)
Full-Service Restaurants 4,193,500 93.97 $10.33 $21,490
Limited-Service Eating Places 3,532,540 87.89 $9.23 $19,190
Special Food Services 429,560 78.05 $11.18 $23,260
Traveler Accommodation 418,460 25.03 $12.22 $25,410
Elementary and Secondary Schools 411,310 4.82 $11.11 $23,100

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Full-Service Restaurants 4,193,500 93.97 $10.33 $21,490
Limited-Service Eating Places 3,532,540 87.89 $9.23 $19,190
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 294,320 85.41 $9.96 $20,710
Special Food Services 429,560 78.05 $11.18 $23,260
Rooming and Boarding Houses 4,370 39.77 $10.85 $22,580

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 12,810 0.63 $18.27 $38,000
Rail Transportation 410 0.18 $16.40 $34,100
Other Financial Investment Activities 570 0.17 $15.82 $32,910
State Government (OES Designation) 17,700 0.77 $15.62 $32,490
Legal Services 150 0.01 $15.08 $31,370

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 1,220,380 87.16 1.01 $10.57 $21,980
Texas 860,620 85.30 0.98 $9.34 $19,420
Florida 708,980 99.80 1.15 $10.12 $21,050
New York 608,680 72.95 0.84 $11.46 $23,830
Pennsylvania 461,370 84.14 0.97 $10.41 $21,660




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 156,040 140.13 1.62 $11.77 $24,480
Hawaii 67,030 117.27 1.35 $11.90 $24,750
Montana 43,240 101.92 1.18 $9.46 $19,670
Rhode Island 44,890 100.16 1.15 $10.73 $22,310
Florida 708,980 99.80 1.15 $10.12 $21,050




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 43,110 67.42 0.78 $13.17 $27,400
Massachusetts 261,630 83.88 0.97 $12.31 $25,600
Vermont 23,820 82.99 0.96 $12.07 $25,100
Hawaii 67,030 117.27 1.35 $11.90 $24,750
Washington 235,380 87.40 1.01 $11.83 $24,610

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-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 331,590 66.55 0.77 $12.53 $26,050
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 311,070 81.48 0.94 $10.31 $21,440
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division 267,910 75.64 0.87 $10.54 $21,930
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 199,460 79.85 0.92 $9.57 $19,900
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 186,560 84.78 0.98 $9.92 $20,620
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 170,870 74.64 0.86 $11.67 $24,280
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 159,120 79.49 0.92 $9.47 $19,700
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 149,170 88.61 1.02 $10.53 $21,900
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 138,490 76.74 0.88 $11.21 $23,320
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 134,540 80.18 0.92 $10.73 $22,320




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

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC 19,290 180.05 2.08 $9.50 $19,760
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 21,370 157.87 1.82 $11.83 $24,600
Ocean City, NJ 5,870 155.71 1.80 $10.55 $21,940
Sandusky, OH 5,270 154.17 1.78 $9.08 $18,880
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 124,340 154.04 1.78 $12.12 $25,210
Jacksonville, NC 6,470 147.81 1.70 $9.36 $19,470
Naples-Marco Island, FL 15,300 139.95 1.61 $11.49 $23,890
Flagstaff, AZ 7,680 139.22 1.61 $9.72 $20,230
Lawrence, KS 6,280 136.88 1.58 $9.02 $18,760
Panama City-Lynn Haven, FL 8,980 132.05 1.52 $9.09 $18,910