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Best states for a food service technician
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you thinking of becoming a food service technician and really want to work at Mercy Hospital? Turns out, your chances to become a food service technician are better in some states than others.Although there are abundant food service technician jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Iowa is the best state in the country for food service technician jobs.
The median salary for food service technicians in Iowa is $36,220. Compare that to the median salary in Louisiana of $25,063, which ranked worst for food service technicians, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the South is best for food service technicians, and the Northeast is the worst. Santa Clara, CA is the best city in the country for food service technician jobs, where as Iowa is the best state in the country.
10 best states for food service technicians in 2026
1. Iowa
Total food service technician jobs: 1,573 Average annual salary: $36,220 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 2.01
2. New Hampshire
Total food service technician jobs: 408 Average annual salary: $40,596 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
3. Maine
Total food service technician jobs: 431 Average annual salary: $37,099 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.51
4. Wisconsin
Total food service technician jobs: 2,049 Average annual salary: $36,077 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 1.72
5. Michigan
Total food service technician jobs: 1,794 Average annual salary: $38,869 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
6. New York
Total food service technician jobs: 2,644 Average annual salary: $40,818 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
7. Oregon
Total food service technician jobs: 808 Average annual salary: $39,014 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
8. California
Total food service technician jobs: 4,411 Average annual salary: $43,443 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 0.7
9. Delaware
Total food service technician jobs: 264 Average annual salary: $36,815 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
10. Arizona
Total food service technician jobs: 1,293 Average annual salary: $35,338 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
Food service technician jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a food service technician
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a food service technician
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | $36,220 | $28,000 | 3,145,711 | 1,573 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $40,596 | $33,000 | 1,342,795 | 408 |
| 3 | Maine | $37,099 | $31,000 | 1,335,907 | 431 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $36,077 | $28,000 | 5,795,483 | 2,049 |
| 5 | Michigan | $38,869 | $30,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,794 |
| 6 | New York | $40,818 | $31,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,644 |
| 7 | Oregon | $39,014 | $30,000 | 4,142,776 | 808 |
| 8 | California | $43,443 | $31,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,411 |
| 9 | Delaware | $36,815 | $27,000 | 961,939 | 264 |
| 10 | Arizona | $35,338 | $25,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,293 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $36,075 | $28,000 | 3,588,184 | 707 |
| 12 | Ohio | $34,845 | $26,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,000 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $33,550 | $26,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,743 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $37,564 | $30,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,708 |
| 15 | Nevada | $31,872 | $23,000 | 2,998,039 | 544 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $30,463 | $22,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,542 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $34,904 | $26,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,810 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $40,248 | $32,000 | 1,427,538 | 144 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $30,622 | $24,000 | 869,666 | 279 |
| 20 | Vermont | $33,126 | $27,000 | 623,657 | 170 |
| 21 | Idaho | $35,192 | $27,000 | 1,716,943 | 282 |
| 22 | Washington | $36,019 | $28,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,231 |
| 23 | Indiana | $30,758 | $23,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,522 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $35,106 | $27,000 | 1,059,639 | 199 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $38,048 | $28,000 | 693,972 | 134 |
| 26 | Montana | $31,576 | $25,000 | 1,050,493 | 254 |
| 27 | Missouri | $32,449 | $24,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,146 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $32,681 | $26,000 | 755,393 | 154 |
| 29 | Texas | $30,526 | $22,000 | 28,304,596 | 4,424 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $30,534 | $23,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,353 |
| 31 | Alaska | $30,301 | $25,000 | 739,795 | 230 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $31,771 | $23,000 | 2,088,070 | 372 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $29,652 | $23,000 | 579,315 | 126 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $28,298 | $21,000 | 1,920,076 | 532 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $26,943 | $20,000 | 2,984,100 | 564 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $27,497 | $20,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,325 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $28,665 | $21,000 | 1,815,857 | 325 |
| 38 | Maryland | $32,958 | $24,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,126 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $27,582 | $20,000 | 4,454,189 | 844 |
| 40 | Utah | $28,316 | $21,000 | 3,101,833 | 722 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $29,465 | $22,000 | 3,004,279 | 491 |
| 42 | Virginia | $29,868 | $21,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,029 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $27,426 | $20,000 | 3,930,864 | 665 |
| 44 | Georgia | $27,201 | $20,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,340 |
| 45 | Illinois | $29,034 | $22,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,375 |
| 46 | Colorado | $28,200 | $21,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,266 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $25,818 | $19,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,439 |
| 48 | Alabama | $27,406 | $20,000 | 4,874,747 | 805 |
| 49 | Florida | $25,289 | $18,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,778 |
| 50 | Kansas | $26,969 | $20,000 | 2,913,123 | 581 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $25,063 | $18,000 | 4,684,333 | 691 |
Highest paying states for food service technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. Food Service Technician Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | $36,220 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $40,596 |
| 3 | Maine | $37,099 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $36,077 |
| 5 | Michigan | $38,869 |
| 6 | New York | $40,818 |
| 7 | Oregon | $39,014 |
| 8 | California | $43,443 |
| 9 | Delaware | $36,815 |
| 10 | Arizona | $35,338 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $36,075 |
| 12 | Ohio | $34,845 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $33,550 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $37,564 |
| 15 | Nevada | $31,872 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $30,463 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $34,904 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $40,248 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $30,622 |
| 20 | Vermont | $33,126 |
| 21 | Idaho | $35,192 |
| 22 | Washington | $36,019 |
| 23 | Indiana | $30,758 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $35,106 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $38,048 |
| 26 | Montana | $31,576 |
| 27 | Missouri | $32,449 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $32,681 |
| 29 | Texas | $30,526 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $30,534 |
| 31 | Alaska | $30,301 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $31,771 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $29,652 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $28,298 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $26,943 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $27,497 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $28,665 |
| 38 | Maryland | $32,958 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $27,582 |
| 40 | Utah | $28,316 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $29,465 |
| 42 | Virginia | $29,868 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $27,426 |
| 44 | Georgia | $27,201 |
| 45 | Illinois | $29,034 |
| 46 | Colorado | $28,200 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $25,818 |
| 48 | Alabama | $27,406 |
| 49 | Florida | $25,289 |
| 50 | Kansas | $26,969 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $25,063 |
Food service technician best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025