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Kitchen helper salary
Average kitchen helper salary
$12.4
Average Kitchen Helper Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Kitchen Helper stands at $25,796 per year, which is roughly $12 per hour. This salary can vary based on location, experience, and the type of establishment.
How Much Does a Kitchen Helper Make?
Kitchen Helpers typically earn between $20,000 and $30,000 annually, depending on several factors, including experience and geographic location. Entry-level positions may start lower, while seasoned professionals can command higher wages.
Where Can a Kitchen Helper Earn More?
Kitchen Helpers in states like California and New York often see higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for culinary services. Additionally, working in high-end restaurants or hotels may offer better compensation compared to fast-food establishments.
Kitchen Helper Salary by Experience Level
Experience significantly impacts earning potential. Entry-level Kitchen Helpers can expect salaries around $20,000, while those with several years of experience may earn up to $30,000 or more.
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Where can a Kitchen Helper earn more?
Kitchen helper salaries by experience level
Kitchen helper salary estimates from across the web
Average kitchen helper salary by state
The highest-paying states for kitchen helpers are Minnesota, Washington, and Oregon. The lowest average kitchen helper salary states are Tennessee, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for kitchen helpers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $32,874 | $15.80 |
| 2 | Maine | $30,058 | $14.45 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $32,529 | $15.64 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $34,700 | $16.68 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $32,073 | $15.42 |
| 6 | Washington | $33,992 | $16.34 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $29,695 | $14.28 |
| 8 | Oregon | $33,265 | $15.99 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $29,160 | $14.02 |
| 10 | Colorado | $29,864 | $14.36 |
| 11 | Montana | $27,428 | $13.19 |
| 12 | Arizona | $26,588 | $12.78 |
| 13 | Vermont | $30,733 | $14.78 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $27,531 | $13.24 |
| 15 | Iowa | $27,893 | $13.41 |
| 16 | Illinois | $27,405 | $13.18 |
| 17 | New York | $31,410 | $15.10 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $25,896 | $12.45 |
| 19 | California | $31,548 | $15.17 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $27,805 | $13.37 |
| 21 | Michigan | $24,414 | $11.74 |
| 22 | Ohio | $25,846 | $12.43 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $26,592 | $12.78 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $31,788 | $15.28 |
| 25 | Florida | $24,836 | $11.94 |
| 26 | Delaware | $27,192 | $13.07 |
| 27 | Kansas | $24,220 | $11.64 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $23,398 | $11.25 |
| 29 | Utah | $26,649 | $12.81 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $23,888 | $11.48 |
| 31 | Idaho | $24,635 | $11.84 |
| 32 | Indiana | $23,359 | $11.23 |
| 33 | Nevada | $25,306 | $12.17 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $28,370 | $13.64 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $23,105 | $11.11 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $22,876 | $11.00 |
| 37 | New Jersey | $24,254 | $11.66 |
| 38 | Texas | $23,316 | $11.21 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $24,115 | $11.59 |
| 40 | Georgia | $22,740 | $10.93 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $23,917 | $11.50 |
| 42 | Maryland | $24,823 | $11.93 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $21,283 | $10.23 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $20,764 | $9.98 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $22,448 | $10.79 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $22,331 | $10.74 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $18,775 | $9.03 |
| 48 | Virginia | $22,482 | $10.81 |
| 49 | Missouri | $21,269 | $10.23 |
| 50 | Alabama | $18,311 | $8.80 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $20,986 | $10.09 |
Highest paying cities for kitchen helpers
The highest-paying cities for kitchen helpers are Saint Paul, MN, Edmonds, WA, and Poughkeepsie, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Paul, MN | $34,686 | $16.68 |
| 2 | Edmonds, WA | $34,148 | $16.42 |
| 3 | Poughkeepsie, NY | $32,234 | $15.50 |
| 4 | Escondido, CA | $30,863 | $14.84 |
| 5 | Colorado Springs, CO | $29,678 | $14.27 |
| 6 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $28,387 | $13.65 |
| 7 | Cedar Falls, IA | $28,204 | $13.56 |
| 8 | Huntley, IL | $27,659 | $13.30 |
| 9 | Bozeman, MT | $27,295 | $13.12 |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | $26,667 | $12.82 |
| 11 | Omaha, NE | $26,650 | $12.81 |
| 12 | Cleveland, OH | $26,527 | $12.75 |
| 13 | Fitchburg, WI | $25,623 | $12.32 |
| 14 | Las Vegas, NV | $25,112 | $12.07 |
| 15 | Towson, MD | $25,034 | $12.04 |
| 16 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $24,875 | $11.96 |
| 17 | Detroit, MI | $24,392 | $11.73 |
| 18 | Albuquerque, NM | $24,092 | $11.58 |
| 19 | Florence, SC | $23,908 | $11.49 |
| 20 | Erie, PA | $23,741 | $11.41 |
Kitchen helper salary details
A kitchen helper's salary ranges from $20,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $32,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a kitchen helper's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
| 75th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| Average | $25,796 | $2,150 | $12 |
| 25th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
| 10th Percentile | $20,000 | $1,667 | $10 |
Highest paying kitchen helper jobs
The highest paying types of kitchen helpers are line cook/dishwasher, deli clerk, and catering assistant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakery Clerk | $28,651 | $2,388 | $13.77 | 67,778 |
| Food Service Worker | $28,753 | $2,396 | $13.82 | 169,323 |
| Food Prep/Dishwasher | $29,964 | $2,497 | $14.41 | 113,200 |
| Prep Cook/Dishwasher | $31,687 | $2,641 | $15.23 | 126,351 |
| Line Cook/Dishwasher | $34,435 | $2,870 | $16.56 | 133,370 |
| Cook/Dishwasher | $31,703 | $2,642 | $15.24 | 133,000 |
Top companies hiring kitchen helpers now:
Which companies pay kitchen helpers the most?
Kitchen helper salaries at Williams International and Sutter Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average kitchen helper salary at companies like Wequassett Resort and Golf Club and Kaiser Permanente are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Williams International | $33,797 | $16.25 |
| 2 | Sutter Health | $32,104 | $15.43 |
| 3 | Wequassett Resort and Golf Club | $30,969 | $14.89 |
| 4 | Kaiser Permanente | $30,743 | $14.78 |
| 5 | San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance | $30,245 | $14.54 |
| 6 | Ashton Gardens | $29,013 | $13.95 |
| 7 | Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners | $28,950 | $13.92 |
| 8 | El Chico | $28,940 | $13.91 |
| 9 | PCC Community Markets | $28,665 | $13.78 |
| 10 | University of Iowa Center for Advancement | $28,650 | $13.77 |
| 11 | Goodwin House | $28,617 | $13.76 |
| 12 | Cape Cod Healthcare | $28,407 | $13.66 |
| 13 | PALIO | $28,322 | $13.62 |
| 14 | Hyatt Hotels | $28,214 | $13.56 |
| 15 | Market of Choice | $28,114 | $13.52 |
| 16 | FHI 360 | $28,001 | $13.46 |
| 17 | Stoneridge | $27,912 | $13.42 |
| 18 | Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium | $27,706 | $13.32 |
| 19 | Jordan Company | $27,609 | $13.27 |
| 20 | Cypress | $27,471 | $13.21 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Kitchen helper salary trends
The average kitchen helper salary has risen by $6,729 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average kitchen helper earned $19,067 annually, but today, they earn $25,796 a year. That works out to a 22% change in pay for kitchen helpers over the last decade.
Compare kitchen helper salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average kitchen helper salary over time
Compare kitchen helper salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Kitchen helper salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $25,800 | $12.40 | +4.9% |
| 2024 | $24,500 | $11.80 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $23,500 | $11.29 | +4.2% |
| 2022 | $22,500 | $10.81 | +5.7% |
| 2021 | $21,200 | $10.20 | +5.9% |
Recently added kitchen helper salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Do & Co Aktiengesellschaft | Cold Kitchen Non Halal-Kitchen Helper | Des Plaines, IL | 06/28/2025 | $39,444 |
| Sodexo Live | Cooks & Kitchen Helpers @ SAN Diego Theaters | San Diego, CA | 06/26/2025 | $36,001 |
| Do & Co Aktiengesellschaft | Hot Kitchen Non Halal-Kitchen Helper | Redondo Beach, CA | 06/26/2025 | $43,326 |
| Rwjbarnabas Health | Kitchen Helper | Belleville, NJ | 06/25/2025 | $37,837 |
| Sodexo S A | Kitchen Helper @ SAN Diego Convention Center | San Diego, CA | 06/25/2025 | $42,992 |
| Wild Rose Entertainment | Kitchen Utilities | Emmetsburg, IA | 06/24/2025 | $25,044 |
| Do & Co | Hot Kitchen Non Halal-Kitchen Helper | Redondo Beach, CA | 06/21/2025 | $43,326 |
| Adecco Us, Inc. | Kitchen Help | Dawson Springs, KY | 06/20/2025 | $25,357 |
| Crossroads Christian Church | Crossroads School-Kitchen Helper | Corona, CA | 06/20/2025 | $34,436 |
| Avista Senior Living Management | Server/Kitchen Help | Prescott, AZ | 06/15/2025 | $31,305 |
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