Best states for a food preparer

Q: What is the best state for food preparers?

The best state to be a food preparer is Pennsylvania based on food preparer salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for food preparers?

The highest paying state for food preparers is Georgia based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for food preparers?

The worst state for food preparers is Oklahoma, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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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 preparer jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for food preparers.This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for food preparer jobs.

Pennsylvania is the best state for jobs for food preparers, and Oklahoma is the worst. The most common pay in Pennsylvania is $30,559, while the median pay in Oklahoma is $21,708.If you are currently seeking employment as a food preparer, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for food preparers in 2025

1. Pennsylvania
Total food preparer jobs: 1,743
Average annual salary: $30,559
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
1.08
Food preparer jobs in Pennsylvania
2. Wisconsin
Total food preparer jobs: 1,000
Average annual salary: $27,957
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Location Quotient:
1.3
Food preparer jobs in Wisconsin
3. New Hampshire
Total food preparer jobs: 195
Average annual salary: $33,424
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
0.8
Food preparer jobs in New Hampshire
4. Tennessee
Total food preparer jobs: 1,116
Average annual salary: $26,431
Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Location Quotient:
1.37
Food preparer jobs in Tennessee
5. Michigan
Total food preparer jobs: 1,451
Average annual salary: $26,743
Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Location Quotient:
1.35
Food preparer jobs in Michigan
6. Colorado
Total food preparer jobs: 858
Average annual salary: $29,035
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Location Quotient:
1.04
Food preparer jobs in Colorado
7. North Carolina
Total food preparer jobs: 1,570
Average annual salary: $27,383
Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Location Quotient:
1.18
Food preparer jobs in North Carolina
8. New York
Total food preparer jobs: 1,387
Average annual salary: $31,965
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
0.78
Food preparer jobs in New York
9. Connecticut
Total food preparer jobs: 467
Average annual salary: $28,900
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Location Quotient:
1.02
Food preparer jobs in Connecticut
10. Minnesota
Total food preparer jobs: 925
Average annual salary: $28,408
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Location Quotient:
1
Food preparer jobs in Minnesota

Food preparer jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a food preparer

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a food preparer

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Pennsylvania	$30,559	$22,000	12,805,537	1,743
2	Wisconsin	$27,957	$21,000	5,795,483	1,000
3	New Hampshire	$33,424	$28,000	1,342,795	195
4	Tennessee	$26,431	$19,000	6,715,984	1,116
5	Michigan	$26,743	$20,000	9,962,311	1,451
6	Colorado	$29,035	$21,000	5,607,154	858
7	North Carolina	$27,383	$19,000	10,273,419	1,570
8	New York	$31,965	$24,000	19,849,399	1,387
9	Connecticut	$28,900	$22,000	3,588,184	467
10	Minnesota	$28,408	$22,000	5,576,606	925
11	Massachusetts	$31,935	$26,000	6,859,819	864
12	Ohio	$25,568	$19,000	11,658,609	1,705
13	Vermont	$31,083	$26,000	623,657	76
14	Maine	$29,842	$25,000	1,335,907	145
15	Oregon	$29,778	$23,000	4,142,776	414
16	Delaware	$27,659	$20,000	961,939	164
17	Rhode Island	$28,508	$22,000	1,059,639	125
18	Missouri	$25,496	$19,000	6,113,532	960
19	Arizona	$25,342	$18,000	7,016,270	970
20	Idaho	$28,076	$21,000	1,716,943	133
21	California	$30,111	$21,000	39,536,653	3,046
22	North Dakota	$26,723	$21,000	755,393	90
23	Illinois	$25,255	$19,000	12,802,023	1,802
24	Montana	$25,364	$20,000	1,050,493	147
25	Iowa	$24,136	$18,000	3,145,711	523
26	Kansas	$24,843	$18,000	2,913,123	340
27	Alaska	$25,203	$22,000	739,795	123
28	New Mexico	$24,549	$17,000	2,088,070	260
29	Wyoming	$23,336	$17,000	579,315	106
30	New Jersey	$25,567	$19,000	9,005,644	983
31	District of Columbia	$28,366	$20,000	693,972	56
32	South Dakota	$24,115	$18,000	869,666	135
33	Texas	$22,740	$16,000	28,304,596	3,363
34	Indiana	$23,177	$17,000	6,666,818	1,047
35	West Virginia	$22,068	$16,000	1,815,857	305
36	Nebraska	$24,877	$18,000	1,920,076	223
37	Maryland	$26,217	$19,000	6,052,177	661
38	Nevada	$24,279	$17,000	2,998,039	236
39	Kentucky	$21,910	$16,000	4,454,189	649
40	Alabama	$23,091	$16,000	4,874,747	535
41	Utah	$23,847	$18,000	3,101,833	386
42	Arkansas	$23,603	$17,000	3,004,279	243
43	Virginia	$22,587	$16,000	8,470,020	1,497
44	Mississippi	$22,516	$16,000	2,984,100	269
45	Florida	$22,219	$15,000	20,984,400	2,365
46	Hawaii	$26,577	$23,000	1,427,538	74
47	Washington	$23,632	$18,000	7,405,743	934
48	Louisiana	$21,141	$14,000	4,684,333	532
49	South Carolina	$21,010	$15,000	5,024,369	606
50	Georgia	$20,618	$14,000	10,429,379	1,507
51	Oklahoma	$21,708	$15,000	3,930,864	324

Highest paying states for food preparers

Rank	State	Avg. Food Preparer Salary
1	Pennsylvania	$30,559
2	Wisconsin	$27,957
3	New Hampshire	$33,424
4	Tennessee	$26,431
5	Michigan	$26,743
6	Colorado	$29,035
7	North Carolina	$27,383
8	New York	$31,965
9	Connecticut	$28,900
10	Minnesota	$28,408
11	Massachusetts	$31,935
12	Ohio	$25,568
13	Vermont	$31,083
14	Maine	$29,842
15	Oregon	$29,778
16	Delaware	$27,659
17	Rhode Island	$28,508
18	Missouri	$25,496
19	Arizona	$25,342
20	Idaho	$28,076
21	California	$30,111
22	North Dakota	$26,723
23	Illinois	$25,255
24	Montana	$25,364
25	Iowa	$24,136
26	Kansas	$24,843
27	Alaska	$25,203
28	New Mexico	$24,549
29	Wyoming	$23,336
30	New Jersey	$25,567
31	District of Columbia	$28,366
32	South Dakota	$24,115
33	Texas	$22,740
34	Indiana	$23,177
35	West Virginia	$22,068
36	Nebraska	$24,877
37	Maryland	$26,217
38	Nevada	$24,279
39	Kentucky	$21,910
40	Alabama	$23,091
41	Utah	$23,847
42	Arkansas	$23,603
43	Virginia	$22,587
44	Mississippi	$22,516
45	Florida	$22,219
46	Hawaii	$26,577
47	Washington	$23,632
48	Louisiana	$21,141
49	South Carolina	$21,010
50	Georgia	$20,618
51	Oklahoma	$21,708

Food preparer best states FAQs

What is the best state for food preparers?

What is the highest paying state for food preparers?

What is the worst state for food preparers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common food preparation and restaurant questions.

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Best states for Food Preparers

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs

Total food preparer jobs:	1,743
Average annual salary:	$30,559
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$22,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$41,000
Location Quotient:	1.08

Best states for a food preparer

10 best states for food preparers in 2025

1. Pennsylvania

2. Wisconsin

3. New Hampshire

4. Tennessee

5. Michigan

6. Colorado

7. North Carolina

8. New York

9. Connecticut

10. Minnesota