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Job outlook for food preps in the United States
Food prep job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected food prep job growth rate is 14% from 2018-2028.
About 775,300 new jobs for food preps are projected over the next decade.
Food prep salaries have increased 21% for food preps in the last 5 years.
There are over 446,618 food preps currently employed in the United States.
There are 168,743 active food prep job openings in the US.
The average food prep salary is $25,840.
Are food prep jobs in demand?
Yes, food prep jobs are in demand. Food prep demand is projected to grow 14% from 2018 to 2028.
Food prep job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of food prep jobs and the average food prep salary over time.
Food prep jobs over time
Food prep job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 446,618 | 0.13% |
| 2020 | 453,458 | 0.13% |
| 2019 | 528,789 | 0.16% |
| 2018 | 534,821 | 0.16% |
| 2017 | 524,942 | 0.16% |
Average food prep salary over time
Food prep salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $25,840 | $12.42 | +4.9% |
| 2025 | $24,636 | $11.84 | +5.7% |
| 2024 | $23,315 | $11.21 | +5.3% |
| 2023 | $22,141 | $10.64 | +3.8% |
| 2022 | $21,329 | $10.25 | +2.8% |
Food prep jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of food prep job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where food preps earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for food preps
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | 961,939 | 197 | 20% |
| 2 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 162 | 19% |
| 3 | Alaska | 739,795 | 133 | 18% |
| 4 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,036 | 16% |
| 5 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 495 | 16% |
| 6 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 467 | 16% |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 214 | 16% |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,038 | 15% |
| 9 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 845 | 15% |
| 10 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 740 | 15% |
| 11 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 469 | 15% |
| 12 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 2,842 | 14% |
| 13 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,461 | 14% |
| 14 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,162 | 14% |
| 15 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 935 | 14% |
| 16 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 755 | 14% |
| 17 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 604 | 14% |
| 18 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 292 | 14% |
| 19 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 108 | 14% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 83 | 14% |
Most common cities for food preps
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rockwall | 5 | 11% | $25,589 |
| 2 | Mansfield | 5 | 8% | $25,584 |
| 3 | Lewisville | 6 | 6% | $25,593 |
| 4 | Arlington | 11 | 3% | $25,588 |
| 5 | Orlando | 8 | 3% | $21,081 |
| 6 | Scottsdale | 7 | 3% | $24,109 |
| 7 | Dallas | 24 | 2% | $25,587 |
| 8 | Miami | 9 | 2% | $21,059 |
| 9 | Plano | 5 | 2% | $25,591 |
| 10 | Austin | 12 | 1% | $25,569 |
| 11 | Phoenix | 10 | 1% | $24,134 |
| 12 | Fort Worth | 8 | 1% | $25,590 |
| 13 | San Jose | 8 | 1% | $27,375 |
| 14 | Atlanta | 6 | 1% | $22,821 |
| 15 | Boston | 6 | 1% | $32,273 |
| 16 | Charlotte | 6 | 1% | $22,018 |
| 17 | San Antonio | 7 | 0% | $25,580 |
| 18 | San Diego | 7 | 0% | $27,447 |
| 19 | Los Angeles | 5 | 0% | $27,492 |