Best states for a food service manager

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

The best state to be a food service manager is New Jersey based on food service manager salaries and job opportunities.

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

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

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

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

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We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for food service managers in the United States. Food service manager positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for food service managers.In fact, our research shows that New Jersey is the best state for food service managers in America. The best city in America for food service managers with the highest pay is New York, NY.

We figured that the best places for food service manager 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.If you are currently seeking employment as a food service manager, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for food service managers in 2026

1. New Jersey
Total food service manager jobs: 1,685
Average annual salary: $55,867
Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000
Location Quotient:
0.93
Food service manager jobs in New Jersey
2. Nevada
Total food service manager jobs: 421
Average annual salary: $55,771
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000
Location Quotient:
0.88
Food service manager jobs in Nevada
3. Connecticut
Total food service manager jobs: 710
Average annual salary: $54,515
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000
Location Quotient:
0.94
Food service manager jobs in Connecticut
4. Arizona
Total food service manager jobs: 1,371
Average annual salary: $45,955
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000
Location Quotient:
1.03
Food service manager jobs in Arizona
5. New York
Total food service manager jobs: 2,378
Average annual salary: $56,201
Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000
Location Quotient:
0.81
Food service manager jobs in New York
6. Washington
Total food service manager jobs: 1,599
Average annual salary: $49,450
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000
Location Quotient:
0.96
Food service manager jobs in Washington
7. Rhode Island
Total food service manager jobs: 193
Average annual salary: $56,476
Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000
Location Quotient:
0.7
Food service manager jobs in Rhode Island
8. New Hampshire
Total food service manager jobs: 304
Average annual salary: $52,782
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000
Location Quotient:
0.76
Food service manager jobs in New Hampshire
9. Pennsylvania
Total food service manager jobs: 2,734
Average annual salary: $43,519
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Location Quotient:
1.03
Food service manager jobs in Pennsylvania
10. Delaware
Total food service manager jobs: 286
Average annual salary: $46,293
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000
Location Quotient:
1
Food service manager jobs in Delaware

Food service manager jobsNear Columbus, OH

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

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

Detailed list of the best states for a food service manager

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New Jersey	$55,867	$35,000	9,005,644	1,685
2	Nevada	$55,771	$34,000	2,998,039	421
3	Connecticut	$54,515	$34,000	3,588,184	710
4	Arizona	$45,955	$29,000	7,016,270	1,371
5	New York	$56,201	$35,000	19,849,399	2,378
6	Washington	$49,450	$31,000	7,405,743	1,599
7	Rhode Island	$56,476	$36,000	1,059,639	193
8	New Hampshire	$52,782	$34,000	1,342,795	304
9	Pennsylvania	$43,519	$27,000	12,805,537	2,734
10	Delaware	$46,293	$29,000	961,939	286
11	Massachusetts	$48,809	$31,000	6,859,819	1,729
12	California	$50,609	$31,000	39,536,653	6,008
13	Maine	$43,958	$29,000	1,335,907	254
14	Maryland	$44,681	$29,000	6,052,177	1,447
15	Oregon	$47,259	$30,000	4,142,776	670
16	Utah	$43,073	$27,000	3,101,833	684
17	West Virginia	$39,218	$26,000	1,815,857	389
18	Vermont	$46,603	$31,000	623,657	111
19	Montana	$42,201	$28,000	1,050,493	246
20	Alaska	$40,394	$30,000	739,795	213
21	Wyoming	$39,530	$27,000	579,315	138
22	Wisconsin	$38,094	$26,000	5,795,483	1,870
23	Virginia	$41,789	$27,000	8,470,020	2,435
24	Texas	$38,852	$25,000	28,304,596	5,884
25	Mississippi	$41,654	$28,000	2,984,100	409
26	District of Columbia	$49,195	$32,000	693,972	250
27	Iowa	$36,458	$26,000	3,145,711	1,076
28	Colorado	$41,453	$28,000	5,607,154	1,345
29	Minnesota	$39,049	$28,000	5,576,606	1,457
30	Idaho	$41,309	$26,000	1,716,943	302
31	North Carolina	$36,596	$25,000	10,273,419	2,628
32	Illinois	$37,036	$26,000	12,802,023	3,055
33	Louisiana	$39,781	$26,000	4,684,333	588
34	Hawaii	$44,641	$32,000	1,427,538	136
35	Tennessee	$36,262	$25,000	6,715,984	1,291
36	North Dakota	$38,359	$28,000	755,393	145
37	Michigan	$36,032	$24,000	9,962,311	1,725
38	New Mexico	$38,632	$25,000	2,088,070	369
39	Ohio	$34,931	$23,000	11,658,609	2,315
40	Florida	$35,359	$23,000	20,984,400	3,618
41	Indiana	$33,418	$23,000	6,666,818	1,590
42	Alabama	$35,422	$24,000	4,874,747	908
43	Georgia	$34,510	$24,000	10,429,379	2,358
44	Kentucky	$31,824	$22,000	4,454,189	1,004
45	South Carolina	$31,918	$22,000	5,024,369	1,289
46	Missouri	$34,586	$24,000	6,113,532	1,215
47	Oklahoma	$33,306	$23,000	3,930,864	653
48	South Dakota	$34,175	$24,000	869,666	186
49	Kansas	$31,744	$22,000	2,913,123	682
50	Arkansas	$31,852	$22,000	3,004,279	499
51	Nebraska	$32,139	$23,000	1,920,076	328

Highest paying states for food service managers

Rank	State	Avg. Food Service Manager Salary
1	New Jersey	$55,867
2	Nevada	$55,771
3	Connecticut	$54,515
4	Arizona	$45,955
5	New York	$56,201
6	Washington	$49,450
7	Rhode Island	$56,476
8	New Hampshire	$52,782
9	Pennsylvania	$43,519
10	Delaware	$46,293
11	Massachusetts	$48,809
12	California	$50,609
13	Maine	$43,958
14	Maryland	$44,681
15	Oregon	$47,259
16	Utah	$43,073
17	West Virginia	$39,218
18	Vermont	$46,603
19	Montana	$42,201
20	Alaska	$40,394
21	Wyoming	$39,530
22	Wisconsin	$38,094
23	Virginia	$41,789
24	Texas	$38,852
25	Mississippi	$41,654
26	District of Columbia	$49,195
27	Iowa	$36,458
28	Colorado	$41,453
29	Minnesota	$39,049
30	Idaho	$41,309
31	North Carolina	$36,596
32	Illinois	$37,036
33	Louisiana	$39,781
34	Hawaii	$44,641
35	Tennessee	$36,262
36	North Dakota	$38,359
37	Michigan	$36,032
38	New Mexico	$38,632
39	Ohio	$34,931
40	Florida	$35,359
41	Indiana	$33,418
42	Alabama	$35,422
43	Georgia	$34,510
44	Kentucky	$31,824
45	South Carolina	$31,918
46	Missouri	$34,586
47	Oklahoma	$33,306
48	South Dakota	$34,175
49	Kansas	$31,744
50	Arkansas	$31,852
51	Nebraska	$32,139

Best states for a food service manager

10 best states for food service managers in 2026

1. New Jersey

2. Nevada

3. Connecticut

4. Arizona

5. New York

6. Washington

7. Rhode Island

8. New Hampshire

9. Pennsylvania

10. Delaware

Food service manager jobsNear Columbus, OH

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

Detailed list of the best states for a food service manager

Highest paying states for food service managers

Food service manager best states FAQs

What is the best state for food service managers?

What is the highest paying state for food service managers?

What is the worst state for food service managers?

Search for food service manager jobs

Total food service manager jobs:	1,685
Average annual salary:	$55,867
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$35,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$87,000
Location Quotient:	0.93