Best states for a cafeteria worker

Q: What is the best state for cafeteria workers?

The best state to be a cafeteria worker is Washington based on cafeteria worker salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for cafeteria workers?

The highest paying state for cafeteria workers is Mississippi based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for cafeteria workers?

The worst state for cafeteria workers is Mississippi, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Cafeteria worker opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for cafeteria workers, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for cafeteria workers.As cafeteria workers are popular in the U.S., we wanted to bring you a list of the best states for cafeteria workers. In case you are trying to decide where to start your career as a cafeteria worker, or if you are considering moving to a different city or state, we got you covered.

To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for cafeteria workers. Washington is the best state for cafeteria workers, where the median salary is $35,765.We found that the South is best for cafeteria workers, and the West is the worst. Yuba City, CA is the best city in the country for cafeteria worker jobs, where as Washington is the best state in the country.

10 best states for cafeteria workers in 2025

1. Washington
Total cafeteria worker jobs: 1,071
Average annual salary: $35,765
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
1.69
Cafeteria worker jobs in Washington
2. Idaho
Total cafeteria worker jobs: 192
Average annual salary: $33,944
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.35
Cafeteria worker jobs in Idaho
3. Oregon
Total cafeteria worker jobs: 535
Average annual salary: $33,366
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
1.49
Cafeteria worker jobs in Oregon
4. California
Total cafeteria worker jobs: 3,667
Average annual salary: $31,396
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
1.45
Cafeteria worker jobs in California
5. Maine
Total cafeteria worker jobs: 76
Average annual salary: $32,689
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
0.66
Cafeteria worker jobs in Maine
6. Connecticut
Total cafeteria worker jobs: 446
Average annual salary: $26,603
Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Location Quotient:
1.55
Cafeteria worker jobs in Connecticut
7. Utah
Total cafeteria worker jobs: 410
Average annual salary: $24,919
Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Location Quotient:
1.48
Cafeteria worker jobs in Utah
8. North Dakota
Total cafeteria worker jobs: 26
Average annual salary: $31,142
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
0.32
Cafeteria worker jobs in North Dakota
9. New Hampshire
Total cafeteria worker jobs: 86
Average annual salary: $27,183
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Location Quotient:
0.57
Cafeteria worker jobs in New Hampshire
10. District of Columbia
Total cafeteria worker jobs: 97
Average annual salary: $30,920
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
0.67
Cafeteria worker jobs in District of Columbia

Cafeteria worker jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a cafeteria worker

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a cafeteria worker

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Washington	$35,765	$28,000	7,405,743	1,071
2	Idaho	$33,944	$26,000	1,716,943	192
3	Oregon	$33,366	$26,000	4,142,776	535
4	California	$31,396	$23,000	39,536,653	3,667
5	Maine	$32,689	$26,000	1,335,907	76
6	Connecticut	$26,603	$20,000	3,588,184	446
7	Utah	$24,919	$19,000	3,101,833	410
8	North Dakota	$31,142	$24,000	755,393	26
9	New Hampshire	$27,183	$21,000	1,342,795	86
10	District of Columbia	$30,920	$24,000	693,972	97
11	Colorado	$26,967	$20,000	5,607,154	670
12	Vermont	$30,297	$24,000	623,657	23
13	Massachusetts	$27,980	$21,000	6,859,819	378
14	Arizona	$25,708	$19,000	7,016,270	224
15	West Virginia	$22,347	$17,000	1,815,857	225
16	Michigan	$24,177	$18,000	9,962,311	386
17	New Jersey	$27,288	$21,000	9,005,644	221
18	Alaska	$25,083	$20,000	739,795	69
19	Rhode Island	$25,341	$19,000	1,059,639	37
20	New York	$24,956	$19,000	19,849,399	1,497
21	Hawaii	$29,929	$25,000	1,427,538	23
22	Kentucky	$23,102	$18,000	4,454,189	175
23	Montana	$24,635	$19,000	1,050,493	34
24	Wyoming	$24,328	$18,000	579,315	16
25	Wisconsin	$23,372	$18,000	5,795,483	235
26	South Dakota	$20,861	$16,000	869,666	158
27	Illinois	$24,527	$19,000	12,802,023	325
28	Delaware	$23,242	$18,000	961,939	116
29	Missouri	$21,733	$16,000	6,113,532	786
30	Indiana	$22,672	$17,000	6,666,818	274
31	New Mexico	$22,241	$16,000	2,088,070	211
32	Pennsylvania	$22,514	$17,000	12,805,537	419
33	North Carolina	$21,192	$16,000	10,273,419	1,076
34	Minnesota	$23,463	$18,000	5,576,606	156
35	Maryland	$24,573	$19,000	6,052,177	98
36	Kansas	$21,923	$16,000	2,913,123	118
37	Arkansas	$21,616	$16,000	3,004,279	86
38	Iowa	$21,616	$16,000	3,145,711	145
39	Florida	$20,134	$15,000	20,984,400	2,191
40	Tennessee	$19,445	$15,000	6,715,984	764
41	Virginia	$21,185	$16,000	8,470,020	978
42	Georgia	$20,364	$15,000	10,429,379	1,312
43	South Carolina	$20,222	$15,000	5,024,369	524
44	Texas	$20,519	$15,000	28,304,596	2,192
45	Louisiana	$19,195	$14,000	4,684,333	473
46	Oklahoma	$20,414	$15,000	3,930,864	311
47	Nevada	$21,646	$16,000	2,998,039	50
48	Ohio	$20,600	$16,000	11,658,609	263
49	Alabama	$19,409	$14,000	4,874,747	501
50	Nebraska	$17,617	$13,000	1,920,076	307
51	Mississippi	$16,255	$12,000	2,984,100	128

Highest paying states for cafeteria workers

Rank	State	Avg. Cafeteria Worker Salary
1	Washington	$35,765
2	Idaho	$33,944
3	Oregon	$33,366
4	California	$31,396
5	Maine	$32,689
6	Connecticut	$26,603
7	Utah	$24,919
8	North Dakota	$31,142
9	New Hampshire	$27,183
10	District of Columbia	$30,920
11	Colorado	$26,967
12	Vermont	$30,297
13	Massachusetts	$27,980
14	Arizona	$25,708
15	West Virginia	$22,347
16	Michigan	$24,177
17	New Jersey	$27,288
18	Alaska	$25,083
19	Rhode Island	$25,341
20	New York	$24,956
21	Hawaii	$29,929
22	Kentucky	$23,102
23	Montana	$24,635
24	Wyoming	$24,328
25	Wisconsin	$23,372
26	South Dakota	$20,861
27	Illinois	$24,527
28	Delaware	$23,242
29	Missouri	$21,733
30	Indiana	$22,672
31	New Mexico	$22,241
32	Pennsylvania	$22,514
33	North Carolina	$21,192
34	Minnesota	$23,463
35	Maryland	$24,573
36	Kansas	$21,923
37	Arkansas	$21,616
38	Iowa	$21,616
39	Florida	$20,134
40	Tennessee	$19,445
41	Virginia	$21,185
42	Georgia	$20,364
43	South Carolina	$20,222
44	Texas	$20,519
45	Louisiana	$19,195
46	Oklahoma	$20,414
47	Nevada	$21,646
48	Ohio	$20,600
49	Alabama	$19,409
50	Nebraska	$17,617
51	Mississippi	$16,255

Cafeteria worker best states FAQs

What is the best state for cafeteria workers?

What is the highest paying state for cafeteria workers?

What is the worst state for cafeteria workers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common food preparation and restaurant questions.

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Best states for Cafeteria Workers

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total cafeteria worker jobs:	1,071
Average annual salary:	$35,765
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$28,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$45,000
Location Quotient:	1.69

Best states for a cafeteria worker

10 best states for cafeteria workers in 2025

1. Washington

2. Idaho

3. Oregon

4. California

5. Maine

6. Connecticut

7. Utah

8. North Dakota

9. New Hampshire

10. District of Columbia