Food Service Worker Salary By State: Highest-Paid Food Service Workers by State [2026]
Research Summary. Comprehensive research conducted by the Zippia data science team has revealed the following insights into food service worker salaries across various states in the United States for 2026:
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Hawaii maintains the highest average food service worker salary at $43,462.
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Alabama has the lowest average food service worker salary, which is $18,998.
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The national average salary for food service workers stands at $28,753.
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The national hourly wage for food service workers is $13.82.
You can read more on the specific methodology.
Background
Across demographics, surveys consistently show that salary remains the most critical factor for individuals when considering job opportunities—especially for food service workers. Understanding how much food service workers can expect to earn in their state is essential for career planning.
While local salaries may vary slightly from state averages, the data presented here paints an accurate picture of what food service workers can anticipate earning across the United States.
The state with the best salary for food service workers, after adjustments, continues to be Hawaii.
Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for food service worker salaries:
Let’s delve deeper into the salary data and present a comprehensive ranking of all states.
Highest-Paid Food Service Workers By State
| Rank | State | Average Food Service Worker Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $43,462 | $32,000 | $57,000 |
| 2 | California | $34,255 | $26,000 | $44,000 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $33,678 | $27,000 | $41,000 |
| 4 | New York | $33,450 | $26,000 | $42,000 |
| 5 | Washington | $33,400 | $26,000 | $41,000 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $32,244 | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| 7 | Oregon | $31,932 | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| 8 | Maine | $31,009 | $25,000 | $37,000 |
| 9 | Colorado | $30,636 | $23,000 | $39,000 |
| 10 | Vermont | $30,612 | $25,000 | $37,000 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $30,547 | $24,000 | $38,000 |
| 12 | Alaska | $30,061 | $26,000 | $34,000 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $30,057 | $23,000 | $38,000 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $29,392 | $23,000 | $36,000 |
| 15 | Delaware | $29,269 | $22,000 | $37,000 |
| 16 | Arizona | $28,966 | $22,000 | $38,000 |
| 17 | Michigan | $28,916 | $22,000 | $36,000 |
| 18 | Nevada | $28,664 | $22,000 | $36,000 |
| 19 | Maryland | $28,016 | $21,000 | $36,000 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $27,906 | $21,000 | $35,000 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $27,795 | $21,000 | $35,000 |
| 22 | Utah | $27,668 | $21,000 | $35,000 |
| 23 | Illinois | $27,561 | $21,000 | $35,000 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $26,954 | $21,000 | $33,000 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $26,890 | $21,000 | $34,000 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $26,470 | $20,000 | $33,000 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $26,287 | $20,000 | $33,000 |
| 28 | Iowa | $25,976 | $20,000 | $33,000 |
| 29 | Indiana | $25,711 | $19,000 | $33,000 |
| 30 | Ohio | $24,802 | $19,000 | $31,000 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $24,778 | $19,000 | $31,000 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $24,734 | $18,000 | $32,000 |
| 33 | Virginia | $24,510 | $18,000 | $32,000 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $24,358 | $18,000 | $31,000 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $24,292 | $18,000 | $31,000 |
| 36 | Florida | $23,864 | $16,000 | $33,000 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $23,862 | $18,000 | $30,000 |
| 38 | Montana | $23,861 | $19,000 | $29,000 |
| 39 | Kansas | $23,765 | $18,000 | $30,000 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $23,648 | $17,000 | $31,000 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $23,546 | $18,000 | $30,000 |
| 42 | Georgia | $23,395 | $17,000 | $30,000 |
| 43 | Idaho | $23,229 | $18,000 | $29,000 |
| 44 | Missouri | $23,170 | $17,000 | $29,000 |
| 45 | Texas | $22,014 | $16,000 | $29,000 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $21,756 | $16,000 | $28,000 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $21,515 | $16,000 | $28,000 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $21,070 | $16,000 | $27,000 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $19,328 | $14,000 | $25,000 |
| 50 | Alabama | $18,998 | $14,000 | $25,000 |
Methodology: Food Service Worker Salary By State
To gain a clearer understanding of food service worker compensation by state, Zippia has compiled data from various sources, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Federal Labor Commission (FLC), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This data is supplemented with actual salary listings from job postings. The data science team then calculates a weighted average to determine the typical pay for food service workers by state.
We utilized annual salary data for food service workers from these estimates to rank each state according to average salary, with the highest salary state ranked first.
Food Service Worker Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for food service workers?
The highest-paid state for food service workers is Hawaii, with an average salary of $43,462 per year.
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What city pays food service workers the most?
Urban Honolulu, HI, offers the highest pay for food service workers, averaging $43,553 per year.
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What is the worst state for food service workers?
The state with the lowest average salary for food service workers is Alabama, where the average salary is $18,998 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
