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Best states for a kitchen worker
- 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 worker 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. Although there are abundant kitchen worker jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Washington is the best state in the country for kitchen worker jobs.
In order to get you the best states for kitchen workers, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.Washington is the best state, and Longview is the city with the highest pay for kitchen workers.
10 best states for kitchen workers in 2026
1. Washington
Total kitchen worker jobs: 1,168 Average annual salary: $35,255 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.43
2. Alaska
Total kitchen worker jobs: 97 Average annual salary: $34,194 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
3. California
Total kitchen worker jobs: 4,327 Average annual salary: $33,924 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
4. Oregon
Total kitchen worker jobs: 639 Average annual salary: $31,039 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 1.38
5. South Dakota
Total kitchen worker jobs: 189 Average annual salary: $27,101 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Location Quotient: 1.58
6. Utah
Total kitchen worker jobs: 501 Average annual salary: $28,408 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 1.4
7. Rhode Island
Total kitchen worker jobs: 66 Average annual salary: $32,449 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 0.48
8. Maine
Total kitchen worker jobs: 108 Average annual salary: $30,504 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Location Quotient: 0.73
9. Connecticut
Total kitchen worker jobs: 502 Average annual salary: $29,962 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location Quotient: 1.35
10. Massachusetts
Total kitchen worker jobs: 616 Average annual salary: $31,436 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 0.6
Kitchen worker jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a kitchen worker
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a kitchen worker
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $35,255 | $27,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,168 |
| 2 | Alaska | $34,194 | $30,000 | 739,795 | 97 |
| 3 | California | $33,924 | $26,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,327 |
| 4 | Oregon | $31,039 | $24,000 | 4,142,776 | 639 |
| 5 | South Dakota | $27,101 | $21,000 | 869,666 | 189 |
| 6 | Utah | $28,408 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 501 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $32,449 | $26,000 | 1,059,639 | 66 |
| 8 | Maine | $30,504 | $25,000 | 1,335,907 | 108 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $29,962 | $23,000 | 3,588,184 | 502 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $31,436 | $25,000 | 6,859,819 | 616 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $34,364 | $26,000 | 693,972 | 110 |
| 12 | Colorado | $29,384 | $23,000 | 5,607,154 | 876 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $27,098 | $22,000 | 1,342,795 | 310 |
| 14 | Delaware | $29,035 | $22,000 | 961,939 | 134 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $30,810 | $24,000 | 5,576,606 | 326 |
| 16 | New York | $32,192 | $25,000 | 19,849,399 | 614 |
| 17 | Vermont | $29,922 | $25,000 | 623,657 | 35 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $28,652 | $23,000 | 755,393 | 36 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $26,824 | $20,000 | 12,805,537 | 856 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $26,723 | $21,000 | 5,795,483 | 376 |
| 21 | Michigan | $26,123 | $20,000 | 9,962,311 | 696 |
| 22 | Arizona | $27,145 | $21,000 | 7,016,270 | 420 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $25,234 | $19,000 | 5,024,369 | 741 |
| 24 | Ohio | $26,079 | $20,000 | 11,658,609 | 627 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $25,008 | $19,000 | 1,920,076 | 381 |
| 26 | Montana | $27,055 | $21,000 | 1,050,493 | 63 |
| 27 | Idaho | $25,418 | $20,000 | 1,716,943 | 232 |
| 28 | Virginia | $26,261 | $20,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,304 |
| 29 | Maryland | $29,070 | $22,000 | 6,052,177 | 299 |
| 30 | Texas | $23,988 | $18,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,115 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $29,184 | $25,000 | 1,427,538 | 45 |
| 32 | Florida | $23,972 | $18,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,622 |
| 33 | New Jersey | $26,710 | $21,000 | 9,005,644 | 440 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $24,312 | $18,000 | 4,454,189 | 266 |
| 35 | Nevada | $25,880 | $20,000 | 2,998,039 | 95 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $23,278 | $18,000 | 2,088,070 | 293 |
| 37 | Illinois | $25,150 | $19,000 | 12,802,023 | 744 |
| 38 | Missouri | $22,937 | $17,000 | 6,113,532 | 924 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $24,073 | $18,000 | 1,815,857 | 79 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $23,012 | $17,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,415 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $24,348 | $19,000 | 579,315 | 33 |
| 42 | Kansas | $23,118 | $18,000 | 2,913,123 | 202 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $20,415 | $15,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,031 |
| 44 | Indiana | $22,937 | $17,000 | 6,666,818 | 422 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $22,831 | $17,000 | 3,004,279 | 150 |
| 46 | Iowa | $23,300 | $18,000 | 3,145,711 | 183 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $22,316 | $17,000 | 3,930,864 | 395 |
| 48 | Georgia | $20,896 | $16,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,555 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $18,648 | $14,000 | 4,684,333 | 531 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $21,985 | $16,000 | 2,984,100 | 215 |
| 51 | Alabama | $19,336 | $14,000 | 4,874,747 | 582 |
Highest paying states for kitchen workers
| Rank | State | Avg. Kitchen Worker Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $35,255 |
| 2 | Alaska | $34,194 |
| 3 | California | $33,924 |
| 4 | Oregon | $31,039 |
| 5 | South Dakota | $27,101 |
| 6 | Utah | $28,408 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $32,449 |
| 8 | Maine | $30,504 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $29,962 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $31,436 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $34,364 |
| 12 | Colorado | $29,384 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $27,098 |
| 14 | Delaware | $29,035 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $30,810 |
| 16 | New York | $32,192 |
| 17 | Vermont | $29,922 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $28,652 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $26,824 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $26,723 |
| 21 | Michigan | $26,123 |
| 22 | Arizona | $27,145 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $25,234 |
| 24 | Ohio | $26,079 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $25,008 |
| 26 | Montana | $27,055 |
| 27 | Idaho | $25,418 |
| 28 | Virginia | $26,261 |
| 29 | Maryland | $29,070 |
| 30 | Texas | $23,988 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $29,184 |
| 32 | Florida | $23,972 |
| 33 | New Jersey | $26,710 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $24,312 |
| 35 | Nevada | $25,880 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $23,278 |
| 37 | Illinois | $25,150 |
| 38 | Missouri | $22,937 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $24,073 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $23,012 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $24,348 |
| 42 | Kansas | $23,118 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $20,415 |
| 44 | Indiana | $22,937 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $22,831 |
| 46 | Iowa | $23,300 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $22,316 |
| 48 | Georgia | $20,896 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $18,648 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $21,985 |
| 51 | Alabama | $19,336 |
Kitchen worker best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025