Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a cafeteria assistant
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for cafeteria assistants? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for cafeteria assistant jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.Our research found that Idaho is the best state for cafeteria assistants, while Washington and Idaho are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Idaho has a median salary of $38,945 and Washington has the highest median salary among all 50 states for cafeteria assistants.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for cafeteria assistants.We found that the South is best for cafeteria assistants, and the Northeast is the worst. Lawrence, MA is the best city in the country for cafeteria assistant jobs, where as Idaho is the best state in the country.
10 best states for cafeteria assistants in 2026
1. Idaho
Total cafeteria assistant jobs: 44 Average annual salary: $38,945 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
2. Washington
Total cafeteria assistant jobs: 148 Average annual salary: $40,080 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
3. Colorado
Total cafeteria assistant jobs: 227 Average annual salary: $34,419 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 1.71
4. Michigan
Total cafeteria assistant jobs: 195 Average annual salary: $33,537 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
5. New York
Total cafeteria assistant jobs: 270 Average annual salary: $36,340 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
6. North Dakota
Total cafeteria assistant jobs: 20 Average annual salary: $33,585 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
7. Maine
Total cafeteria assistant jobs: 23 Average annual salary: $38,876 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 0.78
8. Connecticut
Total cafeteria assistant jobs: 93 Average annual salary: $33,097 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.26
9. Ohio
Total cafeteria assistant jobs: 413 Average annual salary: $29,605 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 1.81
10. Massachusetts
Total cafeteria assistant jobs: 148 Average annual salary: $36,606 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.72
Cafeteria assistant jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a cafeteria assistant
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a cafeteria assistant
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | $38,945 | $29,000 | 1,716,943 | 44 |
| 2 | Washington | $40,080 | $30,000 | 7,405,743 | 148 |
| 3 | Colorado | $34,419 | $25,000 | 5,607,154 | 227 |
| 4 | Michigan | $33,537 | $25,000 | 9,962,311 | 195 |
| 5 | New York | $36,340 | $27,000 | 19,849,399 | 270 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $33,585 | $27,000 | 755,393 | 20 |
| 7 | Maine | $38,876 | $31,000 | 1,335,907 | 23 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $33,097 | $25,000 | 3,588,184 | 93 |
| 9 | Ohio | $29,605 | $22,000 | 11,658,609 | 413 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $36,606 | $28,000 | 6,859,819 | 148 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $34,294 | $27,000 | 5,576,606 | 115 |
| 12 | Arizona | $29,090 | $20,000 | 7,016,270 | 227 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $29,849 | $23,000 | 5,795,483 | 132 |
| 14 | Vermont | $36,312 | $29,000 | 623,657 | 10 |
| 15 | Montana | $32,912 | $26,000 | 1,050,493 | 19 |
| 16 | Oregon | $33,819 | $25,000 | 4,142,776 | 67 |
| 17 | Iowa | $30,196 | $23,000 | 3,145,711 | 70 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $37,382 | $28,000 | 693,972 | 11 |
| 19 | Indiana | $28,211 | $21,000 | 6,666,818 | 146 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $32,491 | $25,000 | 1,342,795 | 25 |
| 21 | California | $32,654 | $23,000 | 39,536,653 | 552 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $26,744 | $20,000 | 1,815,857 | 40 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $28,812 | $21,000 | 579,315 | 12 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $35,390 | $30,000 | 1,427,538 | 13 |
| 25 | Illinois | $29,254 | $22,000 | 12,802,023 | 246 |
| 26 | Alaska | $29,802 | $25,000 | 739,795 | 16 |
| 27 | Nevada | $26,311 | $18,000 | 2,998,039 | 71 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $30,795 | $23,000 | 1,059,639 | 16 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $26,199 | $19,000 | 12,805,537 | 258 |
| 30 | Maryland | $30,011 | $22,000 | 6,052,177 | 115 |
| 31 | Kansas | $26,946 | $20,000 | 2,913,123 | 55 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $25,369 | $18,000 | 4,454,189 | 87 |
| 33 | Missouri | $26,326 | $19,000 | 6,113,532 | 121 |
| 34 | Delaware | $28,975 | $21,000 | 961,939 | 12 |
| 35 | New Jersey | $26,351 | $19,000 | 9,005,644 | 159 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $26,076 | $20,000 | 869,666 | 17 |
| 37 | Florida | $22,840 | $17,000 | 20,984,400 | 441 |
| 38 | Texas | $22,085 | $15,000 | 28,304,596 | 550 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $24,113 | $17,000 | 3,930,864 | 60 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $21,595 | $16,000 | 6,715,984 | 128 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $24,430 | $17,000 | 2,088,070 | 35 |
| 42 | Georgia | $22,989 | $17,000 | 10,429,379 | 211 |
| 43 | Utah | $21,627 | $15,000 | 3,101,833 | 77 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $22,873 | $16,000 | 3,004,279 | 47 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $24,257 | $18,000 | 10,273,419 | 148 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $22,013 | $16,000 | 5,024,369 | 89 |
| 47 | Alabama | $20,189 | $14,000 | 4,874,747 | 92 |
| 48 | Virginia | $23,699 | $17,000 | 8,470,020 | 157 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $21,518 | $16,000 | 1,920,076 | 41 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $16,761 | $12,000 | 2,984,100 | 43 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $19,751 | $14,000 | 4,684,333 | 54 |
Highest paying states for cafeteria assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. Cafeteria Assistant Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | $38,945 |
| 2 | Washington | $40,080 |
| 3 | Colorado | $34,419 |
| 4 | Michigan | $33,537 |
| 5 | New York | $36,340 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $33,585 |
| 7 | Maine | $38,876 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $33,097 |
| 9 | Ohio | $29,605 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $36,606 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $34,294 |
| 12 | Arizona | $29,090 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $29,849 |
| 14 | Vermont | $36,312 |
| 15 | Montana | $32,912 |
| 16 | Oregon | $33,819 |
| 17 | Iowa | $30,196 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $37,382 |
| 19 | Indiana | $28,211 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $32,491 |
| 21 | California | $32,654 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $26,744 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $28,812 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $35,390 |
| 25 | Illinois | $29,254 |
| 26 | Alaska | $29,802 |
| 27 | Nevada | $26,311 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $30,795 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $26,199 |
| 30 | Maryland | $30,011 |
| 31 | Kansas | $26,946 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $25,369 |
| 33 | Missouri | $26,326 |
| 34 | Delaware | $28,975 |
| 35 | New Jersey | $26,351 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $26,076 |
| 37 | Florida | $22,840 |
| 38 | Texas | $22,085 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $24,113 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $21,595 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $24,430 |
| 42 | Georgia | $22,989 |
| 43 | Utah | $21,627 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $22,873 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $24,257 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $22,013 |
| 47 | Alabama | $20,189 |
| 48 | Virginia | $23,699 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $21,518 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $16,761 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $19,751 |
Cafeteria assistant best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common food preparation and restaurant questions.
Search for cafeteria assistant jobs
Updated January 8, 2025