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Best states for a kitchen staff
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to kitchen staff jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. In order to help you decide which state is the best for kitchen staff, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for kitchen staff jobs.
In order to get you the best states for kitchen staff, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.If you are currently seeking employment as a kitchen staff, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for kitchen staff in 2026
1. Maine
Total kitchen staff jobs: 264 Average annual salary: $34,263 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
2. California
Total kitchen staff jobs: 5,825 Average annual salary: $37,020 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
3. Massachusetts
Total kitchen staff jobs: 1,823 Average annual salary: $35,087 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
4. Rhode Island
Total kitchen staff jobs: 209 Average annual salary: $32,906 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
5. Washington
Total kitchen staff jobs: 1,016 Average annual salary: $38,134 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
6. Oregon
Total kitchen staff jobs: 599 Average annual salary: $35,847 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 0.88
7. Michigan
Total kitchen staff jobs: 1,329 Average annual salary: $31,155 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
8. Alaska
Total kitchen staff jobs: 110 Average annual salary: $36,257 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 0.8
9. Minnesota
Total kitchen staff jobs: 935 Average annual salary: $34,098 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 0.86
10. Illinois
Total kitchen staff jobs: 2,094 Average annual salary: $31,685 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
Kitchen staff jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a kitchen staff
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a kitchen staff
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $34,263 | $27,000 | 1,335,907 | 264 |
| 2 | California | $37,020 | $29,000 | 39,536,653 | 5,825 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $35,087 | $28,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,823 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $32,906 | $26,000 | 1,059,639 | 209 |
| 5 | Washington | $38,134 | $30,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,016 |
| 6 | Oregon | $35,847 | $28,000 | 4,142,776 | 599 |
| 7 | Michigan | $31,155 | $24,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,329 |
| 8 | Alaska | $36,257 | $30,000 | 739,795 | 110 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $34,098 | $27,000 | 5,576,606 | 935 |
| 10 | Illinois | $31,685 | $25,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,094 |
| 11 | Colorado | $32,809 | $26,000 | 5,607,154 | 933 |
| 12 | Nevada | $30,419 | $24,000 | 2,998,039 | 357 |
| 13 | Vermont | $33,974 | $27,000 | 623,657 | 99 |
| 14 | New York | $32,390 | $25,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,031 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $32,121 | $25,000 | 1,342,795 | 249 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $28,102 | $22,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,544 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $32,292 | $25,000 | 3,588,184 | 478 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $31,020 | $24,000 | 5,795,483 | 779 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $32,719 | $27,000 | 1,427,538 | 135 |
| 20 | Arizona | $28,424 | $22,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,018 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $35,482 | $27,000 | 693,972 | 193 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $31,004 | $25,000 | 755,393 | 75 |
| 23 | Utah | $28,383 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 524 |
| 24 | Florida | $27,711 | $21,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,801 |
| 25 | Ohio | $26,616 | $21,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,666 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $29,737 | $23,000 | 1,920,076 | 276 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $29,828 | $23,000 | 579,315 | 69 |
| 28 | Iowa | $28,774 | $22,000 | 3,145,711 | 428 |
| 29 | Delaware | $30,381 | $23,000 | 961,939 | 132 |
| 30 | New Jersey | $27,931 | $21,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,336 |
| 31 | Texas | $25,676 | $20,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,661 |
| 32 | Indiana | $26,241 | $20,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,025 |
| 33 | Maryland | $28,941 | $22,000 | 6,052,177 | 917 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $26,161 | $20,000 | 4,454,189 | 547 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $28,036 | $22,000 | 869,666 | 105 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $26,501 | $20,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,375 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $26,281 | $20,000 | 2,088,070 | 285 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $26,027 | $20,000 | 5,024,369 | 667 |
| 39 | Idaho | $27,011 | $21,000 | 1,716,943 | 216 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $25,085 | $19,000 | 3,004,279 | 387 |
| 41 | Missouri | $25,182 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 832 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $22,077 | $17,000 | 4,684,333 | 586 |
| 43 | Montana | $25,549 | $20,000 | 1,050,493 | 160 |
| 44 | Virginia | $26,382 | $20,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,255 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $22,413 | $17,000 | 6,715,984 | 978 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $25,176 | $19,000 | 1,815,857 | 198 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $22,431 | $17,000 | 2,984,100 | 360 |
| 48 | Georgia | $24,297 | $19,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,508 |
| 49 | Kansas | $23,863 | $18,000 | 2,913,123 | 425 |
| 50 | Alabama | $19,796 | $15,000 | 4,874,747 | 665 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $23,289 | $18,000 | 3,930,864 | 381 |
Highest paying states for kitchen staff
| Rank | State | Avg. Kitchen Staff Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $34,263 |
| 2 | California | $37,020 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $35,087 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $32,906 |
| 5 | Washington | $38,134 |
| 6 | Oregon | $35,847 |
| 7 | Michigan | $31,155 |
| 8 | Alaska | $36,257 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $34,098 |
| 10 | Illinois | $31,685 |
| 11 | Colorado | $32,809 |
| 12 | Nevada | $30,419 |
| 13 | Vermont | $33,974 |
| 14 | New York | $32,390 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $32,121 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $28,102 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $32,292 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $31,020 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $32,719 |
| 20 | Arizona | $28,424 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $35,482 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $31,004 |
| 23 | Utah | $28,383 |
| 24 | Florida | $27,711 |
| 25 | Ohio | $26,616 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $29,737 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $29,828 |
| 28 | Iowa | $28,774 |
| 29 | Delaware | $30,381 |
| 30 | New Jersey | $27,931 |
| 31 | Texas | $25,676 |
| 32 | Indiana | $26,241 |
| 33 | Maryland | $28,941 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $26,161 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $28,036 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $26,501 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $26,281 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $26,027 |
| 39 | Idaho | $27,011 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $25,085 |
| 41 | Missouri | $25,182 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $22,077 |
| 43 | Montana | $25,549 |
| 44 | Virginia | $26,382 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $22,413 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $25,176 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $22,431 |
| 48 | Georgia | $24,297 |
| 49 | Kansas | $23,863 |
| 50 | Alabama | $19,796 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $23,289 |
Kitchen staff best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025