Best states for a food service assistant

Q: What is the best state for food service assistants?

The best state to be a food service assistant is Minnesota based on food service assistant salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for food service assistants?

The highest paying state for food service assistants is Alabama based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for food service assistants?

The worst state for food service assistants is Alabama, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Food service assistant opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for food service assistants, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for food service assistants.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 service assistant jobs.

We figured that the best places for food service assistant 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 Minnesota is the best state for food service assistant jobs, whereas Alabama is the worst.

10 best states for food service assistants in 2026

1. Minnesota
Total food service assistant jobs: 1,339
Average annual salary: $31,247
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Location Quotient:
1.57
Food service assistant jobs in Minnesota
2. New York
Total food service assistant jobs: 1,700
Average annual salary: $33,145
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
1.03
Food service assistant jobs in New York
3. Michigan
Total food service assistant jobs: 1,159
Average annual salary: $29,187
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Location Quotient:
1.16
Food service assistant jobs in Michigan
4. Massachusetts
Total food service assistant jobs: 1,108
Average annual salary: $33,216
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Location Quotient:
0.94
Food service assistant jobs in Massachusetts
5. Connecticut
Total food service assistant jobs: 450
Average annual salary: $30,438
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Location Quotient:
1.06
Food service assistant jobs in Connecticut
6. Wisconsin
Total food service assistant jobs: 1,385
Average annual salary: $27,297
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Location Quotient:
1.95
Food service assistant jobs in Wisconsin
7. Maine
Total food service assistant jobs: 174
Average annual salary: $29,375
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Location Quotient:
1.02
Food service assistant jobs in Maine
8. South Dakota
Total food service assistant jobs: 161
Average annual salary: $27,701
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Location Quotient:
1.17
Food service assistant jobs in South Dakota
9. Rhode Island
Total food service assistant jobs: 119
Average annual salary: $33,106
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Location Quotient:
0.76
Food service assistant jobs in Rhode Island
10. Washington
Total food service assistant jobs: 747
Average annual salary: $31,428
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Location Quotient:
0.8
Food service assistant jobs in Washington

Food service assistant jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a food service assistant

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

Detailed list of the best states for a food service assistant

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Minnesota	$31,247	$25,000	5,576,606	1,339
2	New York	$33,145	$27,000	19,849,399	1,700
3	Michigan	$29,187	$23,000	9,962,311	1,159
4	Massachusetts	$33,216	$28,000	6,859,819	1,108
5	Connecticut	$30,438	$25,000	3,588,184	450
6	Wisconsin	$27,297	$22,000	5,795,483	1,385
7	Maine	$29,375	$25,000	1,335,907	174
8	South Dakota	$27,701	$22,000	869,666	161
9	Rhode Island	$33,106	$28,000	1,059,639	119
10	Washington	$31,428	$25,000	7,405,743	747
11	Utah	$28,721	$23,000	3,101,833	391
12	New Hampshire	$27,657	$24,000	1,342,795	252
13	North Carolina	$26,534	$21,000	10,273,419	1,485
14	North Dakota	$28,688	$24,000	755,393	96
15	Ohio	$26,334	$21,000	11,658,609	1,394
16	Vermont	$30,469	$26,000	623,657	75
17	District of Columbia	$34,543	$27,000	693,972	76
18	Colorado	$29,728	$23,000	5,607,154	728
19	Alaska	$27,545	$24,000	739,795	153
20	Delaware	$29,267	$23,000	961,939	134
21	Oregon	$29,923	$24,000	4,142,776	393
22	New Jersey	$27,111	$22,000	9,005,644	1,184
23	California	$31,798	$25,000	39,536,653	2,743
24	Montana	$26,931	$22,000	1,050,493	150
25	Nevada	$25,784	$20,000	2,998,039	299
26	West Virginia	$24,273	$19,000	1,815,857	235
27	South Carolina	$24,910	$20,000	5,024,369	847
28	Hawaii	$29,291	$25,000	1,427,538	103
29	Arizona	$26,390	$21,000	7,016,270	708
30	Iowa	$23,881	$19,000	3,145,711	760
31	Kentucky	$24,370	$19,000	4,454,189	493
32	Kansas	$25,405	$20,000	2,913,123	344
33	Wyoming	$24,669	$19,000	579,315	78
34	Nebraska	$25,454	$20,000	1,920,076	237
35	Pennsylvania	$23,868	$19,000	12,805,537	1,527
36	Idaho	$25,083	$20,000	1,716,943	193
37	Maryland	$26,861	$21,000	6,052,177	623
38	Illinois	$25,826	$20,000	12,802,023	1,261
39	Florida	$23,495	$19,000	20,984,400	2,204
40	Virginia	$24,503	$19,000	8,470,020	1,174
41	Indiana	$23,237	$18,000	6,666,818	827
42	Texas	$22,963	$18,000	28,304,596	2,579
43	New Mexico	$22,712	$18,000	2,088,070	247
44	Mississippi	$21,385	$17,000	2,984,100	326
45	Tennessee	$20,252	$16,000	6,715,984	794
46	Arkansas	$22,442	$18,000	3,004,279	257
47	Oklahoma	$21,981	$17,000	3,930,864	330
48	Missouri	$23,045	$18,000	6,113,532	563
49	Georgia	$20,580	$16,000	10,429,379	1,280
50	Louisiana	$19,138	$15,000	4,684,333	380
51	Alabama	$18,954	$15,000	4,874,747	467

Highest paying states for food service assistants

Rank	State	Avg. Food Service Assistant Salary
1	Minnesota	$31,247
2	New York	$33,145
3	Michigan	$29,187
4	Massachusetts	$33,216
5	Connecticut	$30,438
6	Wisconsin	$27,297
7	Maine	$29,375
8	South Dakota	$27,701
9	Rhode Island	$33,106
10	Washington	$31,428
11	Utah	$28,721
12	New Hampshire	$27,657
13	North Carolina	$26,534
14	North Dakota	$28,688
15	Ohio	$26,334
16	Vermont	$30,469
17	District of Columbia	$34,543
18	Colorado	$29,728
19	Alaska	$27,545
20	Delaware	$29,267
21	Oregon	$29,923
22	New Jersey	$27,111
23	California	$31,798
24	Montana	$26,931
25	Nevada	$25,784
26	West Virginia	$24,273
27	South Carolina	$24,910
28	Hawaii	$29,291
29	Arizona	$26,390
30	Iowa	$23,881
31	Kentucky	$24,370
32	Kansas	$25,405
33	Wyoming	$24,669
34	Nebraska	$25,454
35	Pennsylvania	$23,868
36	Idaho	$25,083
37	Maryland	$26,861
38	Illinois	$25,826
39	Florida	$23,495
40	Virginia	$24,503
41	Indiana	$23,237
42	Texas	$22,963
43	New Mexico	$22,712
44	Mississippi	$21,385
45	Tennessee	$20,252
46	Arkansas	$22,442
47	Oklahoma	$21,981
48	Missouri	$23,045
49	Georgia	$20,580
50	Louisiana	$19,138
51	Alabama	$18,954

Food service assistant best states FAQs

What is the best state for food service assistants?

What is the highest paying state for food service assistants?

What is the worst state for food service assistants?

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

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Best states for Food Service Assistants

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs

Total food service assistant jobs:	1,339
Average annual salary:	$31,247
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$25,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$37,000
Location Quotient:	1.57

Best states for a food service assistant

10 best states for food service assistants in 2026

1. Minnesota

2. New York

3. Michigan

4. Massachusetts

5. Connecticut

6. Wisconsin

7. Maine

8. South Dakota

9. Rhode Island

10. Washington