Best cities for a food service specialist
The best cities for food service specialists are Omaha, NE, Lincoln, NE, and Denver, CO, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for food service specialists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for food service specialists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a food service specialist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for food service specialists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for food service specialists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a food service specialist. While the absolute best city for food service specialists is Omaha, NE, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for food service specialists in 2024.
If you're looking for a food service specialist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for food service specialists in 2025
1. Omaha, NE
Total food service specialist jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $30,507 Lowest 10 percent warn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location quotient: 1.24 2. Lincoln, NE
Total food service specialist jobs: 19 Average annual salary: $30,321 Lowest 10 percent warn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location quotient: 4.13 3. Denver, CO
Total food service specialist jobs: 12 Average annual salary: $34,460 Lowest 10 percent warn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location quotient: 0.34 4. Colorado Springs, CO
Total food service specialist jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $34,138 Lowest 10 percent warn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location quotient: 1.22 5. Madison, WI
Total food service specialist jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $30,960 Lowest 10 percent warn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location quotient: 0.40 6. Fresno, CA
Total food service specialist jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $36,384 Lowest 10 percent warn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location quotient: 0.43 7. Saint Paul, MN
Total food service specialist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $36,256 Lowest 10 percent warn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location quotient: 0.25 8. El Paso, TX
Total food service specialist jobs: 20 Average annual salary: $27,275 Lowest 10 percent warn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Location quotient: 8.40 9. Buffalo, NY
Total food service specialist jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $43,934 Lowest 10 percent warn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location quotient: 0.23 10. San Francisco, CA
Total food service specialist jobs: 12 Average annual salary: $37,129 Lowest 10 percent warn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location quotient: 0.29
Choose from 10+ customizable food service specialist resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use food service specialist resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your food service specialist resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for food service specialists
- Omaha, NE
- Lincoln, NE
- Denver, CO
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Madison, WI
- Fresno, CA
- Saint Paul, MN
- El Paso, TX
- Buffalo, NY
- San Francisco, CA
- (11 food service specialist jobs)
- (19 food service specialist jobs)
- (12 food service specialist jobs)
- (11 food service specialist jobs)
- (3 food service specialist jobs)
- (1 food service specialist jobs)
- (2 food service specialist jobs)
- (20 food service specialist jobs)
- (1 food service specialist jobs)
- (12 food service specialist jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a food service specialist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Omaha, NE | $30,507 | $23,000 | 446,970 | 11 |
| 2 | Lincoln, NE | $30,321 | $23,000 | 280,364 | 19 |
| 3 | Denver, CO | $34,460 | $27,000 | 693,060 | 12 |
| 4 | Colorado Springs, CO | $34,138 | $26,000 | 465,101 | 11 |
| 5 | Madison, WI | $30,960 | $23,000 | 252,551 | 3 |
| 6 | Fresno, CA | $36,384 | $27,000 | 522,053 | 1 |
| 7 | Saint Paul, MN | $36,256 | $28,000 | 302,398 | 2 |
| 8 | El Paso, TX | $27,275 | $20,000 | 683,080 | 20 |
| 9 | Buffalo, NY | $43,934 | $32,000 | 256,902 | 1 |
| 10 | San Francisco, CA | $37,129 | $27,000 | 870,887 | 12 |
| 11 | Minneapolis, MN | $36,250 | $28,000 | 413,651 | 3 |
| 12 | Cleveland, OH | $30,197 | $22,000 | 385,809 | 1 |
| 13 | Seattle, WA | $38,128 | $30,000 | 704,352 | 5 |
| 14 | Santa Ana, CA | $34,925 | $27,000 | 334,217 | 1 |
| 15 | Long Beach, CA | $35,000 | $27,000 | 470,130 | 1 |
| 16 | New York, NY | $44,070 | $30,000 | 8,537,673 | 11 |
| 17 | Lubbock, TX | $26,646 | $20,000 | 252,506 | 1 |
| 18 | Boston, MA | $38,771 | $27,000 | 673,184 | 1 |
| 19 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $27,275 | $20,000 | 260,999 | 3 |
| 20 | Winston-Salem, NC | $26,548 | $19,000 | 242,203 | 1 |
| 21 | Oklahoma City, OK | $25,566 | $19,000 | 638,367 | 8 |
| 22 | Islip, NY | $44,379 | $30,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 23 | Columbus, OH | $28,123 | $20,000 | 860,090 | 1 |
| 24 | Cincinnati, OH | $27,351 | $20,000 | 298,800 | 1 |
| 25 | Wichita, KS | $26,794 | $20,000 | 389,902 | 1 |
| 26 | Oyster Bay, NY | $44,359 | $30,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 27 | Tulsa, OK | $25,709 | $19,000 | 403,090 | 3 |
| 28 | Hempstead, NY | $44,163 | $30,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 29 | Brookhaven, NY | $44,561 | $31,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 30 | Aurora, CO | $34,434 | $27,000 | 361,710 | - |
| 31 | Philadelphia, PA | $31,274 | $21,000 | 1,567,872 | 1 |
| 32 | Greensboro, NC | $26,542 | $19,000 | 287,027 | 1 |
| 33 | Memphis, TN | $26,102 | $20,000 | 652,717 | 1 |
| 34 | Detroit, MI | $33,752 | $25,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 35 | Toledo, OH | $29,931 | $22,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 36 | Indianapolis, IN | $27,696 | $20,000 | 855,164 | 1 |
| 37 | Nashville, TN | $26,563 | $20,000 | 660,388 | 1 |
| 38 | Jacksonville, FL | $27,456 | $20,000 | 880,619 | 4 |
| 39 | Pittsburgh, PA | $29,842 | $21,000 | 303,625 | 1 |
| 40 | Virginia Beach, VA | $28,972 | $20,000 | 452,602 | 1 |
| 41 | Milwaukee, WI | $31,139 | $23,000 | 595,047 | - |
| 42 | Chesapeake, VA | $28,805 | $20,000 | 237,940 | 1 |
| 43 | Oakland, CA | $37,080 | $27,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 44 | Los Angeles, CA | $35,152 | $27,000 | 3,976,322 | 4 |
| 45 | Fremont, CA | $37,026 | $27,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 46 | Scottsdale, AZ | $25,974 | $20,000 | 246,645 | 9 |
| 47 | San Jose, CA | $36,995 | $27,000 | 1,025,350 | - |
| 48 | Stockton, CA | $36,840 | $27,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 49 | Sacramento, CA | $36,766 | $27,000 | 495,234 | - |
| 50 | San Diego, CA | $34,363 | $26,000 | 1,406,630 | 7 |
Highest paying cities for food service specialists
| Rank | City | Avg. food service specialist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $44,070 |
| 2 | Dublin, CA | $37,007 |
| 3 | Brooklyn Park, MN | $36,293 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $34,460 |
| 5 | Kaneohe, HI | $33,342 |
| 6 | Corvallis, OR | $31,339 |
| 7 | Frederick, MD | $31,137 |
| 8 | Omaha, NE | $30,507 |
| 9 | Newport News, VA | $29,122 |
| 10 | Las Vegas, NV | $28,899 |
| 11 | Lafayette, IN | $28,114 |
| 12 | El Paso, TX | $27,275 |
| 13 | Ogden, UT | $27,199 |
| 14 | Columbia, MO | $26,414 |
| 15 | Fayetteville, NC | $26,020 |
| 16 | Enid, OK | $26,011 |
| 17 | Scottsdale, AZ | $25,974 |
| 18 | Fayetteville, AR | $23,970 |
| 19 | Jackson, MS | $23,888 |
| 20 | Anderson, SC | $23,757 |
Food service specialist best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common food preparation and restaurant questions.
Search for food service specialist jobs
Updated January 8, 2025