Best states for a kitchen crew

Q: What is the best state for kitchen crews?

The best state to be a kitchen crew is Michigan based on kitchen crew salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for kitchen crews?

The highest paying state for kitchen crews is Louisiana based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for kitchen crews?

The worst state for kitchen crews is Alabama, 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 kitchen crews in the United States. Kitchen crew 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 kitchen crews.This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for kitchen crew jobs.

Michigan is the best state for jobs for kitchen crews, and Alabama is the worst. The most common pay in Michigan is $34,815, while the median pay in Alabama is $24,533.We found that the South is best for kitchen crews, and the Northeast is the worst. Seattle, WA is the best city in the country for kitchen crew jobs, where as Michigan is the best state in the country.

10 best states for kitchen crews in 2025

1. Michigan
Total kitchen crew jobs: 1,653
Average annual salary: $34,815
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
1.27
Kitchen crew jobs in Michigan
2. Utah
Total kitchen crew jobs: 551
Average annual salary: $35,766
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Location Quotient:
1.03
Kitchen crew jobs in Utah
3. Wisconsin
Total kitchen crew jobs: 996
Average annual salary: $33,861
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
1.07
Kitchen crew jobs in Wisconsin
4. New Hampshire
Total kitchen crew jobs: 208
Average annual salary: $37,987
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
0.71
Kitchen crew jobs in New Hampshire
5. Iowa
Total kitchen crew jobs: 588
Average annual salary: $34,271
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
0.97
Kitchen crew jobs in Iowa
6. Washington
Total kitchen crew jobs: 830
Average annual salary: $37,923
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
0.68
Kitchen crew jobs in Washington
7. Idaho
Total kitchen crew jobs: 270
Average annual salary: $34,097
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
0.98
Kitchen crew jobs in Idaho
8. New York
Total kitchen crew jobs: 1,514
Average annual salary: $36,737
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
0.7
Kitchen crew jobs in New York
9. Colorado
Total kitchen crew jobs: 1,102
Average annual salary: $33,361
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Kitchen crew jobs in Colorado
10. Vermont
Total kitchen crew jobs: 77
Average annual salary: $35,528
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
0.6
Kitchen crew jobs in Vermont

Kitchen crew jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a kitchen crew

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

Detailed list of the best states for a kitchen crew

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Michigan	$34,815	$28,000	9,962,311	1,653
2	Utah	$35,766	$28,000	3,101,833	551
3	Wisconsin	$33,861	$27,000	5,795,483	996
4	New Hampshire	$37,987	$31,000	1,342,795	208
5	Iowa	$34,271	$27,000	3,145,711	588
6	Washington	$37,923	$31,000	7,405,743	830
7	Idaho	$34,097	$27,000	1,716,943	270
8	New York	$36,737	$29,000	19,849,399	1,514
9	Colorado	$33,361	$26,000	5,607,154	1,102
10	Vermont	$35,528	$29,000	623,657	77
11	Oregon	$35,609	$29,000	4,142,776	405
12	Massachusetts	$34,855	$28,000	6,859,819	1,051
13	Ohio	$29,935	$23,000	11,658,609	2,006
14	Connecticut	$32,739	$26,000	3,588,184	568
15	Minnesota	$32,464	$26,000	5,576,606	970
16	Rhode Island	$32,160	$26,000	1,059,639	148
17	Arizona	$30,026	$23,000	7,016,270	1,148
18	North Dakota	$32,165	$27,000	755,393	97
19	Kansas	$29,080	$23,000	2,913,123	565
20	Montana	$31,214	$25,000	1,050,493	160
21	Missouri	$29,645	$23,000	6,113,532	1,051
22	Delaware	$31,719	$24,000	961,939	171
23	Wyoming	$28,850	$23,000	579,315	103
24	Indiana	$27,161	$21,000	6,666,818	1,409
25	New Jersey	$31,614	$25,000	9,005,644	1,065
26	Arkansas	$26,239	$20,000	3,004,279	605
27	South Dakota	$29,649	$24,000	869,666	111
28	Alaska	$29,938	$26,000	739,795	123
29	Maine	$30,395	$25,000	1,335,907	141
30	California	$31,798	$25,000	39,536,653	3,660
31	New Mexico	$28,347	$22,000	2,088,070	280
32	Illinois	$26,644	$21,000	12,802,023	2,445
33	Pennsylvania	$26,967	$21,000	12,805,537	1,935
34	Texas	$26,479	$20,000	28,304,596	3,826
35	District of Columbia	$32,397	$25,000	693,972	78
36	Nevada	$28,124	$22,000	2,998,039	274
37	Kentucky	$24,773	$19,000	4,454,189	791
38	West Virginia	$25,325	$19,000	1,815,857	307
39	South Carolina	$24,930	$19,000	5,024,369	964
40	Oklahoma	$24,500	$19,000	3,930,864	587
41	Georgia	$24,483	$19,000	10,429,379	2,115
42	Maryland	$28,170	$22,000	6,052,177	854
43	Mississippi	$24,009	$18,000	2,984,100	540
44	North Carolina	$24,916	$19,000	10,273,419	1,618
45	Nebraska	$26,962	$21,000	1,920,076	240
46	Virginia	$25,947	$20,000	8,470,020	1,489
47	Florida	$22,731	$17,000	20,984,400	3,683
48	Hawaii	$26,914	$22,000	1,427,538	121
49	Tennessee	$23,005	$18,000	6,715,984	1,183
50	Louisiana	$21,989	$17,000	4,684,333	696
51	Alabama	$24,533	$19,000	4,874,747	575

Highest paying states for kitchen crews

Rank	State	Avg. Kitchen Crew Salary
1	Michigan	$34,815
2	Utah	$35,766
3	Wisconsin	$33,861
4	New Hampshire	$37,987
5	Iowa	$34,271
6	Washington	$37,923
7	Idaho	$34,097
8	New York	$36,737
9	Colorado	$33,361
10	Vermont	$35,528
11	Oregon	$35,609
12	Massachusetts	$34,855
13	Ohio	$29,935
14	Connecticut	$32,739
15	Minnesota	$32,464
16	Rhode Island	$32,160
17	Arizona	$30,026
18	North Dakota	$32,165
19	Kansas	$29,080
20	Montana	$31,214
21	Missouri	$29,645
22	Delaware	$31,719
23	Wyoming	$28,850
24	Indiana	$27,161
25	New Jersey	$31,614
26	Arkansas	$26,239
27	South Dakota	$29,649
28	Alaska	$29,938
29	Maine	$30,395
30	California	$31,798
31	New Mexico	$28,347
32	Illinois	$26,644
33	Pennsylvania	$26,967
34	Texas	$26,479
35	District of Columbia	$32,397
36	Nevada	$28,124
37	Kentucky	$24,773
38	West Virginia	$25,325
39	South Carolina	$24,930
40	Oklahoma	$24,500
41	Georgia	$24,483
42	Maryland	$28,170
43	Mississippi	$24,009
44	North Carolina	$24,916
45	Nebraska	$26,962
46	Virginia	$25,947
47	Florida	$22,731
48	Hawaii	$26,914
49	Tennessee	$23,005
50	Louisiana	$21,989
51	Alabama	$24,533

Kitchen crew best states FAQs

What is the best state for kitchen crews?

What is the highest paying state for kitchen crews?

What is the worst state for kitchen crews?

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

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Best states for Kitchen Crews

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs

Total kitchen crew jobs:	1,653
Average annual salary:	$34,815
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$28,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$42,000
Location Quotient:	1.27

Best states for a kitchen crew

10 best states for kitchen crews in 2025

1. Michigan

2. Utah

3. Wisconsin

4. New Hampshire

5. Iowa

6. Washington

7. Idaho

8. New York

9. Colorado

10. Vermont