Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a food prep/dishwasher
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for food prep/dishwashers? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for food prep/dishwasher jobs.Although there are abundant food prep/dishwasher jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Alaska is the best state in the country for food prep/dishwasher 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 prep/dishwashers.We found that the South is best for food prep/dishwashers, and the Northeast is the worst. Seattle, WA is the best city in the country for food prep/dishwasher jobs, where as Alaska is the best state in the country.
10 best states for food prep/dishwashers in 2026
1. Alaska
Total food prep/dishwasher jobs: 117 Average annual salary: $32,944 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 1.5
2. Maine
Total food prep/dishwasher jobs: 119 Average annual salary: $35,572 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
3. Washington
Total food prep/dishwasher jobs: 552 Average annual salary: $37,335 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.81
4. Nevada
Total food prep/dishwasher jobs: 211 Average annual salary: $30,280 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
5. Oregon
Total food prep/dishwasher jobs: 290 Average annual salary: $35,144 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
6. New York
Total food prep/dishwasher jobs: 1,053 Average annual salary: $33,761 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 0.88
7. Minnesota
Total food prep/dishwasher jobs: 497 Average annual salary: $32,833 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 0.8
8. Michigan
Total food prep/dishwasher jobs: 828 Average annual salary: $28,138 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
9. Pennsylvania
Total food prep/dishwasher jobs: 1,074 Average annual salary: $29,782 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
10. Illinois
Total food prep/dishwasher jobs: 1,030 Average annual salary: $30,827 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
Food prep/dishwasher jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a food prep/dishwasher
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a food prep/dishwasher
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $32,944 | $27,000 | 739,795 | 117 |
| 2 | Maine | $35,572 | $29,000 | 1,335,907 | 119 |
| 3 | Washington | $37,335 | $29,000 | 7,405,743 | 552 |
| 4 | Nevada | $30,280 | $23,000 | 2,998,039 | 211 |
| 5 | Oregon | $35,144 | $28,000 | 4,142,776 | 290 |
| 6 | New York | $33,761 | $27,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,053 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $32,833 | $26,000 | 5,576,606 | 497 |
| 8 | Michigan | $28,138 | $22,000 | 9,962,311 | 828 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $29,782 | $23,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,074 |
| 10 | Illinois | $30,827 | $24,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,030 |
| 11 | Colorado | $31,108 | $24,000 | 5,607,154 | 544 |
| 12 | Arizona | $28,534 | $22,000 | 7,016,270 | 665 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $31,426 | $25,000 | 3,588,184 | 288 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $32,367 | $26,000 | 6,859,819 | 663 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $31,892 | $25,000 | 1,059,639 | 72 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $27,853 | $21,000 | 579,315 | 60 |
| 17 | Delaware | $30,161 | $23,000 | 961,939 | 114 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $35,456 | $27,000 | 693,972 | 65 |
| 19 | California | $33,545 | $26,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,170 |
| 20 | Vermont | $29,975 | $24,000 | 623,657 | 60 |
| 21 | Utah | $27,940 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 276 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $26,258 | $20,000 | 5,024,369 | 601 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $27,118 | $21,000 | 5,795,483 | 532 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $29,358 | $24,000 | 1,342,795 | 123 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $31,927 | $27,000 | 1,427,538 | 70 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $25,544 | $20,000 | 869,666 | 118 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $25,512 | $20,000 | 4,454,189 | 433 |
| 28 | Iowa | $26,658 | $20,000 | 3,145,711 | 366 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $27,900 | $22,000 | 755,393 | 62 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $27,743 | $21,000 | 1,920,076 | 155 |
| 31 | Kansas | $25,600 | $20,000 | 2,913,123 | 303 |
| 32 | Florida | $25,289 | $19,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,982 |
| 33 | Ohio | $25,440 | $20,000 | 11,658,609 | 891 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $24,689 | $19,000 | 1,815,857 | 163 |
| 35 | Indiana | $25,030 | $19,000 | 6,666,818 | 755 |
| 36 | Virginia | $26,659 | $20,000 | 8,470,020 | 884 |
| 37 | Texas | $25,376 | $19,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,147 |
| 38 | New Jersey | $27,319 | $21,000 | 9,005,644 | 704 |
| 39 | Missouri | $26,744 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 471 |
| 40 | Maryland | $28,403 | $22,000 | 6,052,177 | 433 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $25,707 | $20,000 | 2,088,070 | 167 |
| 42 | Idaho | $26,156 | $20,000 | 1,716,943 | 132 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $24,211 | $18,000 | 3,004,279 | 257 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $23,970 | $18,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,049 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $22,053 | $17,000 | 6,715,984 | 706 |
| 46 | Montana | $24,879 | $19,000 | 1,050,493 | 106 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $22,354 | $17,000 | 2,984,100 | 279 |
| 48 | Georgia | $24,236 | $18,000 | 10,429,379 | 988 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $22,266 | $17,000 | 4,684,333 | 338 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $22,631 | $17,000 | 3,930,864 | 301 |
| 51 | Alabama | $19,670 | $15,000 | 4,874,747 | 392 |
Highest paying states for food prep/dishwashers
| Rank | State | Avg. Food Prep/Dishwasher Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $32,944 |
| 2 | Maine | $35,572 |
| 3 | Washington | $37,335 |
| 4 | Nevada | $30,280 |
| 5 | Oregon | $35,144 |
| 6 | New York | $33,761 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $32,833 |
| 8 | Michigan | $28,138 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $29,782 |
| 10 | Illinois | $30,827 |
| 11 | Colorado | $31,108 |
| 12 | Arizona | $28,534 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $31,426 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $32,367 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $31,892 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $27,853 |
| 17 | Delaware | $30,161 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $35,456 |
| 19 | California | $33,545 |
| 20 | Vermont | $29,975 |
| 21 | Utah | $27,940 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $26,258 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $27,118 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $29,358 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $31,927 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $25,544 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $25,512 |
| 28 | Iowa | $26,658 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $27,900 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $27,743 |
| 31 | Kansas | $25,600 |
| 32 | Florida | $25,289 |
| 33 | Ohio | $25,440 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $24,689 |
| 35 | Indiana | $25,030 |
| 36 | Virginia | $26,659 |
| 37 | Texas | $25,376 |
| 38 | New Jersey | $27,319 |
| 39 | Missouri | $26,744 |
| 40 | Maryland | $28,403 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $25,707 |
| 42 | Idaho | $26,156 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $24,211 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $23,970 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $22,053 |
| 46 | Montana | $24,879 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $22,354 |
| 48 | Georgia | $24,236 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $22,266 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $22,631 |
| 51 | Alabama | $19,670 |
Food prep/dishwasher best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common food preparation and restaurant questions.
Search for food prep/dishwasher jobs
Updated January 8, 2025