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Best states for a food service worker
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Food service worker opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for food service workers, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for food service workers.As food service workers are popular in the U.S., we wanted to bring you a list of the best states for food service workers. In case you are trying to decide where to start your career as a food service worker, or if you are considering moving to a different city or state, we got you covered.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for food service workers.Washington is the best state, and Mililani Town is the city with the highest pay for food service workers.
10 best states for food service workers in 2025
1. Washington
Total food service worker jobs: 1,341 Average annual salary: $33,400 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
2. Oregon
Total food service worker jobs: 727 Average annual salary: $31,932 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
3. New Hampshire
Total food service worker jobs: 376 Average annual salary: $29,392 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 1.47
4. California
Total food service worker jobs: 4,959 Average annual salary: $34,255 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.16
5. Minnesota
Total food service worker jobs: 963 Average annual salary: $32,244 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
6. Massachusetts
Total food service worker jobs: 898 Average annual salary: $33,678 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 0.67
7. Maine
Total food service worker jobs: 172 Average annual salary: $31,009 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
8. Hawaii
Total food service worker jobs: 53 Average annual salary: $43,462 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 0.43
9. Wisconsin
Total food service worker jobs: 1,169 Average annual salary: $27,906 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Location Quotient: 1.44
10. Connecticut
Total food service worker jobs: 613 Average annual salary: $30,057 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.26
Food service worker jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a food service worker
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a food service worker
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $33,400 | $26,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,341 |
| 2 | Oregon | $31,932 | $25,000 | 4,142,776 | 727 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $29,392 | $23,000 | 1,342,795 | 376 |
| 4 | California | $34,255 | $26,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,959 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $32,244 | $25,000 | 5,576,606 | 963 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $33,678 | $27,000 | 6,859,819 | 898 |
| 7 | Maine | $31,009 | $25,000 | 1,335,907 | 172 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $43,462 | $32,000 | 1,427,538 | 53 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $27,906 | $21,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,169 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $30,057 | $23,000 | 3,588,184 | 613 |
| 11 | New York | $33,450 | $26,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,109 |
| 12 | Utah | $27,668 | $21,000 | 3,101,833 | 606 |
| 13 | Alaska | $30,061 | $26,000 | 739,795 | 131 |
| 14 | Colorado | $30,636 | $23,000 | 5,607,154 | 932 |
| 15 | Michigan | $28,916 | $22,000 | 9,962,311 | 888 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $26,890 | $21,000 | 1,920,076 | 450 |
| 17 | Vermont | $30,612 | $25,000 | 623,657 | 70 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $30,547 | $24,000 | 1,059,639 | 84 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $34,574 | $26,000 | 693,972 | 131 |
| 20 | Delaware | $29,269 | $22,000 | 961,939 | 191 |
| 21 | Nevada | $28,664 | $22,000 | 2,998,039 | 205 |
| 22 | Arizona | $28,966 | $22,000 | 7,016,270 | 541 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $27,795 | $21,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,086 |
| 24 | Iowa | $25,976 | $20,000 | 3,145,711 | 676 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $24,778 | $19,000 | 869,666 | 226 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $23,862 | $18,000 | 1,815,857 | 324 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $26,470 | $20,000 | 579,315 | 67 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $24,734 | $18,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,930 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $26,954 | $21,000 | 755,393 | 65 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $23,648 | $17,000 | 5,024,369 | 983 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $24,292 | $18,000 | 2,088,070 | 369 |
| 32 | Indiana | $25,711 | $19,000 | 6,666,818 | 704 |
| 33 | Illinois | $27,561 | $21,000 | 12,802,023 | 899 |
| 34 | Florida | $23,864 | $16,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,169 |
| 35 | Maryland | $28,016 | $21,000 | 6,052,177 | 424 |
| 36 | New Jersey | $26,287 | $20,000 | 9,005,644 | 922 |
| 37 | Ohio | $24,802 | $19,000 | 11,658,609 | 995 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $24,358 | $18,000 | 4,454,189 | 428 |
| 39 | Idaho | $23,229 | $18,000 | 1,716,943 | 283 |
| 40 | Virginia | $24,510 | $18,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,581 |
| 41 | Georgia | $23,395 | $17,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,850 |
| 42 | Missouri | $23,170 | $17,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,064 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $21,070 | $16,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,120 |
| 44 | Montana | $23,861 | $19,000 | 1,050,493 | 121 |
| 45 | Kansas | $23,765 | $18,000 | 2,913,123 | 278 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $23,546 | $18,000 | 3,004,279 | 232 |
| 47 | Texas | $22,014 | $16,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,308 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $21,756 | $16,000 | 3,930,864 | 507 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $19,328 | $14,000 | 4,684,333 | 604 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $21,515 | $16,000 | 2,984,100 | 299 |
| 51 | Alabama | $18,998 | $14,000 | 4,874,747 | 674 |
Highest paying states for food service workers
| Rank | State | Avg. Food Service Worker Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $33,400 |
| 2 | Oregon | $31,932 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $29,392 |
| 4 | California | $34,255 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $32,244 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $33,678 |
| 7 | Maine | $31,009 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $43,462 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $27,906 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $30,057 |
| 11 | New York | $33,450 |
| 12 | Utah | $27,668 |
| 13 | Alaska | $30,061 |
| 14 | Colorado | $30,636 |
| 15 | Michigan | $28,916 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $26,890 |
| 17 | Vermont | $30,612 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $30,547 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $34,574 |
| 20 | Delaware | $29,269 |
| 21 | Nevada | $28,664 |
| 22 | Arizona | $28,966 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $27,795 |
| 24 | Iowa | $25,976 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $24,778 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $23,862 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $26,470 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $24,734 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $26,954 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $23,648 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $24,292 |
| 32 | Indiana | $25,711 |
| 33 | Illinois | $27,561 |
| 34 | Florida | $23,864 |
| 35 | Maryland | $28,016 |
| 36 | New Jersey | $26,287 |
| 37 | Ohio | $24,802 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $24,358 |
| 39 | Idaho | $23,229 |
| 40 | Virginia | $24,510 |
| 41 | Georgia | $23,395 |
| 42 | Missouri | $23,170 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $21,070 |
| 44 | Montana | $23,861 |
| 45 | Kansas | $23,765 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $23,546 |
| 47 | Texas | $22,014 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $21,756 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $19,328 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $21,515 |
| 51 | Alabama | $18,998 |
Food service worker best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025