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Best states for a food handler
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you thinking of becoming a food handler and really want to work at Burger King? Turns out, your chances to become a food handler are better in some states than others.Although there are abundant food handler jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Michigan is the best state in the country for food handler jobs.
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 food handlers.Michigan is the best state, and Bellingham is the city with the highest pay for food handlers.
10 best states for food handlers in 2026
1. Michigan
Total food handler jobs: 1,688 Average annual salary: $36,098 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.22
2. Wisconsin
Total food handler jobs: 1,354 Average annual salary: $35,056 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 1.38
3. Arizona
Total food handler jobs: 1,294 Average annual salary: $35,466 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
4. Iowa
Total food handler jobs: 753 Average annual salary: $36,103 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
5. Utah
Total food handler jobs: 511 Average annual salary: $38,444 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
6. New Hampshire
Total food handler jobs: 269 Average annual salary: $39,301 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.86
7. Washington
Total food handler jobs: 1,107 Average annual salary: $39,779 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
8. Minnesota
Total food handler jobs: 1,209 Average annual salary: $35,651 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
9. Oregon
Total food handler jobs: 574 Average annual salary: $37,542 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 0.78
10. New York
Total food handler jobs: 1,638 Average annual salary: $38,533 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.72
Food handler jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a food handler
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a food handler
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $36,098 | $29,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,688 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $35,056 | $29,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,354 |
| 3 | Arizona | $35,466 | $29,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,294 |
| 4 | Iowa | $36,103 | $29,000 | 3,145,711 | 753 |
| 5 | Utah | $38,444 | $31,000 | 3,101,833 | 511 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $39,301 | $34,000 | 1,342,795 | 269 |
| 7 | Washington | $39,779 | $33,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,107 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $35,651 | $30,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,209 |
| 9 | Oregon | $37,542 | $31,000 | 4,142,776 | 574 |
| 10 | New York | $38,533 | $32,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,638 |
| 11 | Idaho | $36,182 | $30,000 | 1,716,943 | 205 |
| 12 | Vermont | $36,559 | $31,000 | 623,657 | 102 |
| 13 | Ohio | $31,650 | $25,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,192 |
| 14 | Colorado | $34,616 | $28,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,005 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $34,261 | $28,000 | 3,588,184 | 611 |
| 16 | Delaware | $33,663 | $27,000 | 961,939 | 215 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $36,087 | $30,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,183 |
| 18 | Missouri | $32,603 | $26,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,140 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $33,304 | $27,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,651 |
| 20 | Montana | $32,908 | $28,000 | 1,050,493 | 178 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $33,458 | $28,000 | 755,393 | 111 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $33,545 | $28,000 | 1,059,639 | 159 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $31,102 | $26,000 | 869,666 | 179 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $30,673 | $25,000 | 579,315 | 114 |
| 25 | Kansas | $31,978 | $26,000 | 2,913,123 | 452 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $32,384 | $26,000 | 1,920,076 | 280 |
| 27 | Indiana | $29,036 | $23,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,420 |
| 28 | Maine | $31,173 | $27,000 | 1,335,907 | 208 |
| 29 | Alaska | $31,623 | $28,000 | 739,795 | 140 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $31,600 | $25,000 | 2,088,070 | 275 |
| 31 | California | $33,797 | $27,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,069 |
| 32 | Texas | $30,326 | $24,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,557 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $28,474 | $23,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,445 |
| 34 | Nevada | $30,591 | $25,000 | 2,998,039 | 315 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $27,090 | $21,000 | 1,815,857 | 333 |
| 36 | Georgia | $28,762 | $22,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,084 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $27,092 | $21,000 | 4,454,189 | 866 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $34,560 | $27,000 | 693,972 | 88 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $29,249 | $23,000 | 3,004,279 | 358 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $27,017 | $21,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,886 |
| 41 | Illinois | $28,011 | $23,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,345 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $25,471 | $20,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,457 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $27,051 | $21,000 | 2,984,100 | 388 |
| 44 | Maryland | $29,998 | $24,000 | 6,052,177 | 931 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $27,382 | $21,000 | 5,024,369 | 755 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $31,414 | $27,000 | 1,427,538 | 93 |
| 47 | Alabama | $27,522 | $21,000 | 4,874,747 | 634 |
| 48 | Virginia | $26,648 | $21,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,720 |
| 49 | Florida | $25,754 | $20,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,292 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $27,374 | $22,000 | 3,930,864 | 418 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $25,182 | $20,000 | 4,684,333 | 568 |
Highest paying states for food handlers
| Rank | State | Avg. Food Handler Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $36,098 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $35,056 |
| 3 | Arizona | $35,466 |
| 4 | Iowa | $36,103 |
| 5 | Utah | $38,444 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $39,301 |
| 7 | Washington | $39,779 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $35,651 |
| 9 | Oregon | $37,542 |
| 10 | New York | $38,533 |
| 11 | Idaho | $36,182 |
| 12 | Vermont | $36,559 |
| 13 | Ohio | $31,650 |
| 14 | Colorado | $34,616 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $34,261 |
| 16 | Delaware | $33,663 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $36,087 |
| 18 | Missouri | $32,603 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $33,304 |
| 20 | Montana | $32,908 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $33,458 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $33,545 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $31,102 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $30,673 |
| 25 | Kansas | $31,978 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $32,384 |
| 27 | Indiana | $29,036 |
| 28 | Maine | $31,173 |
| 29 | Alaska | $31,623 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $31,600 |
| 31 | California | $33,797 |
| 32 | Texas | $30,326 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $28,474 |
| 34 | Nevada | $30,591 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $27,090 |
| 36 | Georgia | $28,762 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $27,092 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $34,560 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $29,249 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $27,017 |
| 41 | Illinois | $28,011 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $25,471 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $27,051 |
| 44 | Maryland | $29,998 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $27,382 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $31,414 |
| 47 | Alabama | $27,522 |
| 48 | Virginia | $26,648 |
| 49 | Florida | $25,754 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $27,374 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $25,182 |
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Updated January 8, 2025