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Job outlook for cafeteria workers in the United States
Cafeteria worker job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected cafeteria worker job growth rate is 9% from 2018-2028.
About 372,900 new jobs for cafeteria workers are projected over the next decade.
Cafeteria worker salaries have increased 24% for cafeteria workers in the last 5 years.
There are over 29,431 cafeteria workers currently employed in the United States.
There are 31,802 active cafeteria worker job openings in the US.
The average cafeteria worker salary is $24,465.
Are cafeteria worker jobs in demand?
Yes, cafeteria worker jobs are in demand. Cafeteria worker demand is projected to grow 9% from 2018 to 2028.
Cafeteria worker job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of cafeteria worker jobs and the average cafeteria worker salary over time.
Cafeteria worker jobs over time
Cafeteria worker job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 29,431 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 32,747 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 41,685 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 39,801 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 38,144 | 0.01% |
Average cafeteria worker salary over time
Cafeteria worker salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $24,465 | $11.76 | +6.6% |
| 2024 | $22,958 | $11.04 | +5.4% |
| 2023 | $21,784 | $10.47 | +5.2% |
| 2022 | $20,698 | $9.95 | +4.8% |
| 2021 | $19,759 | $9.50 | +4.8% |
Cafeteria worker jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of cafeteria worker job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where cafeteria workers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for cafeteria workers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 158 | 18% |
| 2 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 307 | 16% |
| 3 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,071 | 14% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 97 | 14% |
| 5 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,312 | 13% |
| 6 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 786 | 13% |
| 7 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 535 | 13% |
| 8 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 410 | 13% |
| 9 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 978 | 12% |
| 10 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 670 | 12% |
| 11 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 446 | 12% |
| 12 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 225 | 12% |
| 13 | Delaware | 961,939 | 116 | 12% |
| 14 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 764 | 11% |
| 15 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 192 | 11% |
| 16 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 2,191 | 10% |
| 17 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,076 | 10% |
| 18 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 524 | 10% |
| 19 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 473 | 10% |
| 20 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 211 | 10% |
Most common cities for cafeteria workers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tupelo | 4 | 10% | $16,304 |
| 2 | Newark | 2 | 6% | $23,329 |
| 3 | Lakeland | 5 | 5% | $20,164 |
| 4 | Bessemer | 1 | 4% | $19,443 |
| 5 | West Palm Beach | 3 | 3% | $20,142 |
| 6 | Boynton Beach | 2 | 3% | $20,140 |
| 7 | Lawrence | 2 | 2% | $28,256 |
| 8 | Melbourne | 2 | 2% | $20,158 |
| 9 | Boston | 5 | 1% | $28,064 |
| 10 | Denver | 5 | 1% | $26,996 |
| 11 | Miami | 5 | 1% | $20,136 |
| 12 | Fort Lauderdale | 2 | 1% | $20,138 |
| 13 | Arvada | 1 | 1% | $27,047 |
| 14 | Boca Raton | 1 | 1% | $20,139 |
| 15 | Jacksonville | 3 | 0% | $20,199 |
| 16 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $20,405 |