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Best states for a food prep
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you want to become a food prep at Taco Bell, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for food preps that you can check out, before you begin your journey. Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for food preps. We found that New Jersey is the best state in the nation for food preps, and people in Gloucester earn the most in the field.
New Jersey is the best state for jobs for food preps, and Virginia is the worst. The most common pay in New Jersey is $28,993, while the median pay in Virginia is $21,397.New Jersey is the best state, and Gloucester is the city with the highest pay for food preps.
10 best states for food preps in 2026
1. New Jersey
Total food prep jobs: 1,138 Average annual salary: $28,993 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
2. Maine
Total food prep jobs: 173 Average annual salary: $29,298 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
3. Massachusetts
Total food prep jobs: 1,038 Average annual salary: $32,244 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
4. Wisconsin
Total food prep jobs: 845 Average annual salary: $25,116 Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
5. Washington
Total food prep jobs: 962 Average annual salary: $27,496 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
6. New Hampshire
Total food prep jobs: 214 Average annual salary: $29,604 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
7. Texas
Total food prep jobs: 2,814 Average annual salary: $25,557 Lowest 10 percent earn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
8. Vermont
Total food prep jobs: 78 Average annual salary: $30,421 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
9. Connecticut
Total food prep jobs: 418 Average annual salary: $27,681 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
10. New York
Total food prep jobs: 1,627 Average annual salary: $28,149 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
Food prep jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a food prep
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a food prep
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $28,993 | $21,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,138 |
| 2 | Maine | $29,298 | $24,000 | 1,335,907 | 173 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $32,244 | $26,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,038 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $25,116 | $19,000 | 5,795,483 | 845 |
| 5 | Washington | $27,496 | $20,000 | 7,405,743 | 962 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $29,604 | $24,000 | 1,342,795 | 214 |
| 7 | Texas | $25,557 | $17,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,814 |
| 8 | Vermont | $30,421 | $25,000 | 623,657 | 78 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $27,681 | $21,000 | 3,588,184 | 418 |
| 10 | New York | $28,149 | $21,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,627 |
| 11 | Utah | $24,595 | $17,000 | 3,101,833 | 469 |
| 12 | Kansas | $23,807 | $17,000 | 2,913,123 | 467 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $27,708 | $22,000 | 1,059,639 | 131 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $22,897 | $16,000 | 6,715,984 | 935 |
| 15 | Kentucky | $23,140 | $16,000 | 4,454,189 | 604 |
| 16 | Indiana | $22,896 | $17,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,036 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $24,441 | $18,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,434 |
| 18 | Arizona | $24,177 | $16,000 | 7,016,270 | 855 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $23,681 | $16,000 | 2,088,070 | 292 |
| 20 | California | $27,426 | $18,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,657 |
| 21 | Idaho | $24,974 | $18,000 | 1,716,943 | 183 |
| 22 | Illinois | $24,943 | $18,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,557 |
| 23 | Colorado | $25,702 | $18,000 | 5,607,154 | 737 |
| 24 | Maryland | $26,979 | $20,000 | 6,052,177 | 695 |
| 25 | Oregon | $25,782 | $19,000 | 4,142,776 | 462 |
| 26 | Ohio | $22,622 | $17,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,344 |
| 27 | Missouri | $24,267 | $17,000 | 6,113,532 | 680 |
| 28 | Michigan | $22,305 | $17,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,161 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $22,965 | $16,000 | 3,004,279 | 315 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $26,835 | $19,000 | 693,972 | 92 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $22,049 | $15,000 | 2,984,100 | 316 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $24,223 | $18,000 | 5,576,606 | 755 |
| 33 | Georgia | $22,797 | $16,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,461 |
| 34 | Alabama | $22,590 | $15,000 | 4,874,747 | 596 |
| 35 | Alaska | $20,946 | $19,000 | 739,795 | 133 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $21,826 | $16,000 | 869,666 | 162 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $23,442 | $17,000 | 1,920,076 | 185 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $22,831 | $17,000 | 755,393 | 108 |
| 39 | Iowa | $22,424 | $16,000 | 3,145,711 | 495 |
| 40 | Delaware | $22,261 | $16,000 | 961,939 | 197 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $22,040 | $15,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,366 |
| 42 | Florida | $21,061 | $14,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,842 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $20,572 | $14,000 | 5,024,369 | 740 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $20,936 | $15,000 | 1,815,857 | 215 |
| 45 | Nevada | $21,988 | $15,000 | 2,998,039 | 241 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $20,803 | $14,000 | 4,684,333 | 452 |
| 47 | Montana | $22,304 | $17,000 | 1,050,493 | 122 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $21,065 | $14,000 | 3,930,864 | 413 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $20,435 | $15,000 | 579,315 | 83 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $22,914 | $20,000 | 1,427,538 | 74 |
| 51 | Virginia | $21,397 | $15,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,162 |
Highest paying states for food preps
| Rank | State | Avg. Food Prep Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $28,993 |
| 2 | Maine | $29,298 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $32,244 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $25,116 |
| 5 | Washington | $27,496 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $29,604 |
| 7 | Texas | $25,557 |
| 8 | Vermont | $30,421 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $27,681 |
| 10 | New York | $28,149 |
| 11 | Utah | $24,595 |
| 12 | Kansas | $23,807 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $27,708 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $22,897 |
| 15 | Kentucky | $23,140 |
| 16 | Indiana | $22,896 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $24,441 |
| 18 | Arizona | $24,177 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $23,681 |
| 20 | California | $27,426 |
| 21 | Idaho | $24,974 |
| 22 | Illinois | $24,943 |
| 23 | Colorado | $25,702 |
| 24 | Maryland | $26,979 |
| 25 | Oregon | $25,782 |
| 26 | Ohio | $22,622 |
| 27 | Missouri | $24,267 |
| 28 | Michigan | $22,305 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $22,965 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $26,835 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $22,049 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $24,223 |
| 33 | Georgia | $22,797 |
| 34 | Alabama | $22,590 |
| 35 | Alaska | $20,946 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $21,826 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $23,442 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $22,831 |
| 39 | Iowa | $22,424 |
| 40 | Delaware | $22,261 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $22,040 |
| 42 | Florida | $21,061 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $20,572 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $20,936 |
| 45 | Nevada | $21,988 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $20,803 |
| 47 | Montana | $22,304 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $21,065 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $20,435 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $22,914 |
| 51 | Virginia | $21,397 |
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Updated January 8, 2025