Best states for a food service associate

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rank 1 - 10
11 - 20
21 - 30
31 - 40
41 - 51

Do you want to become a food service associate at Walmart, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for food service associates that you can check out, before you begin your journey. Our research found that Maine is the best state for food service associates, while Rhode Island and Washington are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Maine has a median salary of $33,122 and Rhode Island has the highest median salary among all 50 states for food service associates.

Maine is the best state for jobs for food service associates, and Louisiana is the worst. The most common pay in Maine is $33,122, while the median pay in Louisiana is $18,620.We found that Maine is the best state for food service associate jobs, whereas Louisiana is the worst.

10 best states for food service associates in 2026

1. Maine
Total food service associate jobs: 160
Average annual salary: $33,122
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Location Quotient:
1.19
Food service associate jobs in Maine
2. New Hampshire
Total food service associate jobs: 212
Average annual salary: $32,543
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Location Quotient:
1.19
Food service associate jobs in New Hampshire
3. Connecticut
Total food service associate jobs: 413
Average annual salary: $33,385
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
1.23
Food service associate jobs in Connecticut
4. Rhode Island
Total food service associate jobs: 107
Average annual salary: $36,285
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
0.87
Food service associate jobs in Rhode Island
5. Massachusetts
Total food service associate jobs: 867
Average annual salary: $35,941
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
0.93
Food service associate jobs in Massachusetts
6. Vermont
Total food service associate jobs: 76
Average annual salary: $33,399
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Location Quotient:
0.97
Food service associate jobs in Vermont
7. Washington
Total food service associate jobs: 611
Average annual salary: $36,177
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
0.82
Food service associate jobs in Washington
8. New York
Total food service associate jobs: 1,277
Average annual salary: $34,738
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
0.98
Food service associate jobs in New York
9. Michigan
Total food service associate jobs: 947
Average annual salary: $29,891
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Location Quotient:
1.2
Food service associate jobs in Michigan
10. Wisconsin
Total food service associate jobs: 1,294
Average annual salary: $29,375
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Location Quotient:
2.3
Food service associate jobs in Wisconsin

Food service associate jobsNear Columbus, OH

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

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

Detailed list of the best states for a food service associate

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Maine	$33,122	$29,000	1,335,907	160
2	New Hampshire	$32,543	$28,000	1,342,795	212
3	Connecticut	$33,385	$28,000	3,588,184	413
4	Rhode Island	$36,285	$30,000	1,059,639	107
5	Massachusetts	$35,941	$30,000	6,859,819	867
6	Vermont	$33,399	$29,000	623,657	76
7	Washington	$36,177	$29,000	7,405,743	611
8	New York	$34,738	$28,000	19,849,399	1,277
9	Michigan	$29,891	$24,000	9,962,311	947
10	Wisconsin	$29,375	$24,000	5,795,483	1,294
11	Florida	$31,861	$23,000	20,984,400	1,702
12	New Jersey	$33,014	$26,000	9,005,644	882
13	Alaska	$30,751	$27,000	739,795	127
14	Minnesota	$31,355	$25,000	5,576,606	718
15	Delaware	$29,633	$23,000	961,939	147
16	North Dakota	$31,405	$26,000	755,393	61
17	District of Columbia	$37,443	$29,000	693,972	78
18	Iowa	$28,061	$22,000	3,145,711	535
19	Oregon	$32,679	$26,000	4,142,776	265
20	Colorado	$30,557	$24,000	5,607,154	596
21	Illinois	$31,379	$25,000	12,802,023	939
22	Nebraska	$29,827	$24,000	1,920,076	170
23	Pennsylvania	$28,345	$22,000	12,805,537	1,302
24	Utah	$29,311	$23,000	3,101,833	311
25	Ohio	$28,535	$22,000	11,658,609	945
26	Indiana	$27,714	$22,000	6,666,818	749
27	South Dakota	$28,026	$23,000	869,666	106
28	California	$33,167	$26,000	39,536,653	2,122
29	Arizona	$27,936	$21,000	7,016,270	672
30	Wyoming	$26,425	$21,000	579,315	70
31	Texas	$26,354	$20,000	28,304,596	2,364
32	North Carolina	$26,806	$20,000	10,273,419	1,101
33	Maryland	$30,527	$24,000	6,052,177	448
34	Virginia	$27,864	$21,000	8,470,020	1,027
35	West Virginia	$25,958	$20,000	1,815,857	165
36	Nevada	$27,170	$21,000	2,998,039	204
37	Kentucky	$25,886	$20,000	4,454,189	404
38	Hawaii	$31,877	$27,000	1,427,538	51
39	Montana	$27,961	$23,000	1,050,493	100
40	South Carolina	$23,738	$18,000	5,024,369	638
41	Mississippi	$22,275	$17,000	2,984,100	280
42	Oklahoma	$23,455	$18,000	3,930,864	318
43	Arkansas	$23,680	$18,000	3,004,279	237
44	Kansas	$24,912	$19,000	2,913,123	244
45	Tennessee	$21,980	$17,000	6,715,984	646
46	Missouri	$24,800	$19,000	6,113,532	488
47	Idaho	$24,726	$20,000	1,716,943	128
48	New Mexico	$23,852	$18,000	2,088,070	174
49	Georgia	$24,025	$18,000	10,429,379	875
50	Alabama	$19,712	$15,000	4,874,747	394
51	Louisiana	$18,620	$14,000	4,684,333	286

Highest paying states for food service associates

Rank	State	Avg. Food Service Associate Salary
1	Maine	$33,122
2	New Hampshire	$32,543
3	Connecticut	$33,385
4	Rhode Island	$36,285
5	Massachusetts	$35,941
6	Vermont	$33,399
7	Washington	$36,177
8	New York	$34,738
9	Michigan	$29,891
10	Wisconsin	$29,375
11	Florida	$31,861
12	New Jersey	$33,014
13	Alaska	$30,751
14	Minnesota	$31,355
15	Delaware	$29,633
16	North Dakota	$31,405
17	District of Columbia	$37,443
18	Iowa	$28,061
19	Oregon	$32,679
20	Colorado	$30,557
21	Illinois	$31,379
22	Nebraska	$29,827
23	Pennsylvania	$28,345
24	Utah	$29,311
25	Ohio	$28,535
26	Indiana	$27,714
27	South Dakota	$28,026
28	California	$33,167
29	Arizona	$27,936
30	Wyoming	$26,425
31	Texas	$26,354
32	North Carolina	$26,806
33	Maryland	$30,527
34	Virginia	$27,864
35	West Virginia	$25,958
36	Nevada	$27,170
37	Kentucky	$25,886
38	Hawaii	$31,877
39	Montana	$27,961
40	South Carolina	$23,738
41	Mississippi	$22,275
42	Oklahoma	$23,455
43	Arkansas	$23,680
44	Kansas	$24,912
45	Tennessee	$21,980
46	Missouri	$24,800
47	Idaho	$24,726
48	New Mexico	$23,852
49	Georgia	$24,025
50	Alabama	$19,712
51	Louisiana	$18,620

Food service associate best states FAQs

What is the best state for food service associates?

What is the highest paying state for food service associates?

What is the worst state for food service associates?

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

Search for food service associate jobs

Zippia Careers
Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Food Service Associate
Best states for Food Service Associates

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs

Total food service associate jobs:	160
Average annual salary:	$33,122
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$29,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$37,000
Location Quotient:	1.19

Best states for a food service associate

10 best states for food service associates in 2026

1. Maine

2. New Hampshire

3. Connecticut

4. Rhode Island

5. Massachusetts

6. Vermont

7. Washington

8. New York

9. Michigan

10. Wisconsin