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Best states for a food preparation worker
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Job opportunities vary from state to state, and food preparation and restaurant careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to food preparation worker jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for food preparation workers.Our research found that New York is the best state for food preparation workers, while Rhode Island and Massachusetts are ranked highest in terms of median salary. New York has a median salary of $33,405 and Rhode Island has the highest median salary among all 50 states for food preparation workers.
We figured that the best places for food preparation worker jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the South is best for food preparation workers, and the Northeast is the worst. Rochester, NY is the best city in the country for food preparation worker jobs, where as New York is the best state in the country.
10 best states for food preparation workers in 2025
1. New York
Total food preparation worker jobs: 1,947 Average annual salary: $33,405 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.22. Colorado
Total food preparation worker jobs: 879 Average annual salary: $32,264 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.173. Maine
Total food preparation worker jobs: 127 Average annual salary: $34,601 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 0.764. Washington
Total food preparation worker jobs: 1,305 Average annual salary: $29,269 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location Quotient: 1.425. New Hampshire
Total food preparation worker jobs: 290 Average annual salary: $29,097 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 1.326. Utah
Total food preparation worker jobs: 539 Average annual salary: $28,295 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.347. Massachusetts
Total food preparation worker jobs: 640 Average annual salary: $35,697 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.558. Connecticut
Total food preparation worker jobs: 551 Average annual salary: $29,129 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location Quotient: 1.329. Vermont
Total food preparation worker jobs: 56 Average annual salary: $33,437 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 0.5810. Rhode Island
Total food preparation worker jobs: 68 Average annual salary: $35,724 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.44
Food preparation worker jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a food preparation worker
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a food preparation worker
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $33,405 | $25,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,947 |
| 2 | Colorado | $32,264 | $24,000 | 5,607,154 | 879 |
| 3 | Maine | $34,601 | $28,000 | 1,335,907 | 127 |
| 4 | Washington | $29,269 | $22,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,305 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $29,097 | $23,000 | 1,342,795 | 290 |
| 6 | Utah | $28,295 | $20,000 | 3,101,833 | 539 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $35,697 | $28,000 | 6,859,819 | 640 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $29,129 | $22,000 | 3,588,184 | 551 |
| 9 | Vermont | $33,437 | $27,000 | 623,657 | 56 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $35,724 | $27,000 | 1,059,639 | 68 |
| 11 | Florida | $26,374 | $17,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,877 |
| 12 | Michigan | $27,563 | $21,000 | 9,962,311 | 720 |
| 13 | California | $29,543 | $20,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,550 |
| 14 | Arizona | $28,648 | $19,000 | 7,016,270 | 462 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $23,878 | $18,000 | 869,666 | 216 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $24,196 | $18,000 | 1,920,076 | 392 |
| 17 | Iowa | $25,661 | $19,000 | 3,145,711 | 299 |
| 18 | Alaska | $26,948 | $23,000 | 739,795 | 106 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $28,681 | $21,000 | 9,005,644 | 537 |
| 20 | Oregon | $24,871 | $18,000 | 4,142,776 | 663 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $25,571 | $19,000 | 12,805,537 | 746 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $23,412 | $17,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,651 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $28,828 | $21,000 | 693,972 | 128 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $25,373 | $19,000 | 755,393 | 60 |
| 25 | Arkansas | $24,358 | $17,000 | 3,004,279 | 181 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $22,245 | $16,000 | 5,024,369 | 835 |
| 27 | Illinois | $25,810 | $19,000 | 12,802,023 | 752 |
| 28 | Delaware | $23,907 | $18,000 | 961,939 | 187 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $21,507 | $16,000 | 1,815,857 | 303 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $24,874 | $19,000 | 5,576,606 | 455 |
| 31 | Texas | $22,999 | $15,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,897 |
| 32 | Indiana | $23,223 | $17,000 | 6,666,818 | 570 |
| 33 | Virginia | $23,628 | $17,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,449 |
| 34 | Montana | $23,502 | $18,000 | 1,050,493 | 95 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $23,254 | $18,000 | 5,795,483 | 475 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $22,539 | $16,000 | 4,454,189 | 332 |
| 37 | Georgia | $22,044 | $15,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,703 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $21,210 | $16,000 | 579,315 | 108 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $21,829 | $15,000 | 3,930,864 | 451 |
| 40 | Ohio | $22,995 | $17,000 | 11,658,609 | 591 |
| 41 | Maryland | $24,404 | $18,000 | 6,052,177 | 338 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $25,219 | $22,000 | 1,427,538 | 57 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $19,498 | $13,000 | 4,684,333 | 591 |
| 44 | Missouri | $20,664 | $15,000 | 6,113,532 | 968 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $19,322 | $14,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,033 |
| 46 | Nevada | $21,585 | $15,000 | 2,998,039 | 144 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $20,497 | $14,000 | 2,088,070 | 296 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $20,342 | $14,000 | 2,984,100 | 252 |
| 49 | Alabama | $19,900 | $14,000 | 4,874,747 | 630 |
| 50 | Kansas | $20,722 | $15,000 | 2,913,123 | 256 |
| 51 | Idaho | $19,335 | $14,000 | 1,716,943 | 249 |
Highest paying states for food preparation workers
| Rank | State | Avg. Food Preparation Worker Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $33,405 |
| 2 | Colorado | $32,264 |
| 3 | Maine | $34,601 |
| 4 | Washington | $29,269 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $29,097 |
| 6 | Utah | $28,295 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $35,697 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $29,129 |
| 9 | Vermont | $33,437 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $35,724 |
| 11 | Florida | $26,374 |
| 12 | Michigan | $27,563 |
| 13 | California | $29,543 |
| 14 | Arizona | $28,648 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $23,878 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $24,196 |
| 17 | Iowa | $25,661 |
| 18 | Alaska | $26,948 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $28,681 |
| 20 | Oregon | $24,871 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $25,571 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $23,412 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $28,828 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $25,373 |
| 25 | Arkansas | $24,358 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $22,245 |
| 27 | Illinois | $25,810 |
| 28 | Delaware | $23,907 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $21,507 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $24,874 |
| 31 | Texas | $22,999 |
| 32 | Indiana | $23,223 |
| 33 | Virginia | $23,628 |
| 34 | Montana | $23,502 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $23,254 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $22,539 |
| 37 | Georgia | $22,044 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $21,210 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $21,829 |
| 40 | Ohio | $22,995 |
| 41 | Maryland | $24,404 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $25,219 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $19,498 |
| 44 | Missouri | $20,664 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $19,322 |
| 46 | Nevada | $21,585 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $20,497 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $20,342 |
| 49 | Alabama | $19,900 |
| 50 | Kansas | $20,722 |
| 51 | Idaho | $19,335 |
Food preparation worker best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025