Best states for a prep cook/dishwasher

Q: What is the best state for prep cook/dishwashers?

The best state to be a prep cook/dishwasher is Alaska based on prep cook/dishwasher salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for prep cook/dishwashers?

The highest paying state for prep cook/dishwashers is Mississippi based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for prep cook/dishwashers?

The worst state for prep cook/dishwashers is Virginia, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for prep cook/dishwashers? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for prep cook/dishwasher jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.In order to help you decide which state is the best for prep cook/dishwashers, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for prep cook/dishwasher jobs.

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 prep cook/dishwashers.If you are currently seeking employment as a prep cook/dishwasher, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for prep cook/dishwashers in 2025

1. Alaska
Total prep cook/dishwasher jobs: 123
Average annual salary: $34,037
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
0.94
Prep cook/dishwasher jobs in Alaska
2. Washington
Total prep cook/dishwasher jobs: 764
Average annual salary: $39,430
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000
Location Quotient:
0.67
Prep cook/dishwasher jobs in Washington
3. Oregon
Total prep cook/dishwasher jobs: 484
Average annual salary: $35,069
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Location Quotient:
0.75
Prep cook/dishwasher jobs in Oregon
4. Nevada
Total prep cook/dishwasher jobs: 340
Average annual salary: $31,527
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
1.04
Prep cook/dishwasher jobs in Nevada
5. Idaho
Total prep cook/dishwasher jobs: 247
Average annual salary: $31,895
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
0.96
Prep cook/dishwasher jobs in Idaho
6. Arizona
Total prep cook/dishwasher jobs: 1,102
Average annual salary: $30,490
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
1.21
Prep cook/dishwasher jobs in Arizona
7. California
Total prep cook/dishwasher jobs: 3,843
Average annual salary: $35,963
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Location Quotient:
0.84
Prep cook/dishwasher jobs in California
8. New York
Total prep cook/dishwasher jobs: 1,566
Average annual salary: $34,928
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Location Quotient:
0.78
Prep cook/dishwasher jobs in New York
9. Wyoming
Total prep cook/dishwasher jobs: 60
Average annual salary: $32,869
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
0.64
Prep cook/dishwasher jobs in Wyoming
10. New Hampshire
Total prep cook/dishwasher jobs: 161
Average annual salary: $32,839
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
0.59
Prep cook/dishwasher jobs in New Hampshire

Prep cook/dishwasher jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a prep cook/dishwasher

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

Detailed list of the best states for a prep cook/dishwasher

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Alaska	$34,037	$28,000	739,795	123
2	Washington	$39,430	$31,000	7,405,743	764
3	Oregon	$35,069	$27,000	4,142,776	484
4	Nevada	$31,527	$24,000	2,998,039	340
5	Idaho	$31,895	$25,000	1,716,943	247
6	Arizona	$30,490	$23,000	7,016,270	1,102
7	California	$35,963	$28,000	39,536,653	3,843
8	New York	$34,928	$27,000	19,849,399	1,566
9	Wyoming	$32,869	$25,000	579,315	60
10	New Hampshire	$32,839	$26,000	1,342,795	161
11	Colorado	$31,978	$25,000	5,607,154	959
12	Massachusetts	$33,898	$27,000	6,859,819	915
13	North Dakota	$30,643	$24,000	755,393	122
14	Illinois	$30,550	$23,000	12,802,023	1,984
15	Connecticut	$32,818	$25,000	3,588,184	398
16	Vermont	$32,413	$26,000	623,657	66
17	Maine	$30,937	$25,000	1,335,907	162
18	Montana	$29,466	$23,000	1,050,493	191
19	New Mexico	$28,846	$22,000	2,088,070	368
20	Indiana	$28,308	$22,000	6,666,818	1,146
21	Pennsylvania	$29,079	$22,000	12,805,537	1,882
22	Ohio	$27,307	$21,000	11,658,609	1,929
23	Nebraska	$30,277	$23,000	1,920,076	255
24	Minnesota	$29,984	$23,000	5,576,606	982
25	Utah	$29,191	$23,000	3,101,833	512
26	Wisconsin	$29,365	$22,000	5,795,483	763
27	Rhode Island	$30,667	$24,000	1,059,639	112
28	Michigan	$27,773	$21,000	9,962,311	1,415
29	District of Columbia	$33,680	$26,000	693,972	78
30	Hawaii	$31,932	$26,000	1,427,538	107
31	Delaware	$30,482	$23,000	961,939	129
32	Maryland	$30,052	$23,000	6,052,177	851
33	Iowa	$27,439	$21,000	3,145,711	583
34	New Jersey	$30,571	$23,000	9,005,644	940
35	Missouri	$27,775	$21,000	6,113,532	954
36	Tennessee	$24,927	$19,000	6,715,984	1,124
37	Kentucky	$25,580	$19,000	4,454,189	663
38	South Dakota	$27,647	$21,000	869,666	116
39	Florida	$26,004	$19,000	20,984,400	3,457
40	Louisiana	$26,155	$20,000	4,684,333	563
41	Kansas	$27,387	$21,000	2,913,123	390
42	South Carolina	$26,653	$20,000	5,024,369	736
43	Texas	$24,988	$19,000	28,304,596	4,338
44	Oklahoma	$24,494	$19,000	3,930,864	580
45	Arkansas	$25,372	$19,000	3,004,279	409
46	Georgia	$25,224	$19,000	10,429,379	1,730
47	Alabama	$26,005	$20,000	4,874,747	513
48	North Carolina	$24,739	$19,000	10,273,419	1,521
49	West Virginia	$23,017	$17,000	1,815,857	252
50	Mississippi	$21,180	$16,000	2,984,100	397
51	Virginia	$24,823	$19,000	8,470,020	1,266

Highest paying states for prep cook/dishwashers

Rank	State	Avg. Prep Cook/Dishwasher Salary
1	Alaska	$34,037
2	Washington	$39,430
3	Oregon	$35,069
4	Nevada	$31,527
5	Idaho	$31,895
6	Arizona	$30,490
7	California	$35,963
8	New York	$34,928
9	Wyoming	$32,869
10	New Hampshire	$32,839
11	Colorado	$31,978
12	Massachusetts	$33,898
13	North Dakota	$30,643
14	Illinois	$30,550
15	Connecticut	$32,818
16	Vermont	$32,413
17	Maine	$30,937
18	Montana	$29,466
19	New Mexico	$28,846
20	Indiana	$28,308
21	Pennsylvania	$29,079
22	Ohio	$27,307
23	Nebraska	$30,277
24	Minnesota	$29,984
25	Utah	$29,191
26	Wisconsin	$29,365
27	Rhode Island	$30,667
28	Michigan	$27,773
29	District of Columbia	$33,680
30	Hawaii	$31,932
31	Delaware	$30,482
32	Maryland	$30,052
33	Iowa	$27,439
34	New Jersey	$30,571
35	Missouri	$27,775
36	Tennessee	$24,927
37	Kentucky	$25,580
38	South Dakota	$27,647
39	Florida	$26,004
40	Louisiana	$26,155
41	Kansas	$27,387
42	South Carolina	$26,653
43	Texas	$24,988
44	Oklahoma	$24,494
45	Arkansas	$25,372
46	Georgia	$25,224
47	Alabama	$26,005
48	North Carolina	$24,739
49	West Virginia	$23,017
50	Mississippi	$21,180
51	Virginia	$24,823

Prep cook/dishwasher best states FAQs

What is the best state for prep cook/dishwashers?

What is the highest paying state for prep cook/dishwashers?

What is the worst state for prep cook/dishwashers?

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

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Prep Cook/Dishwasher
Best states for Prep Cook/Dishwashers

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs

Total prep cook/dishwasher jobs:	123
Average annual salary:	$34,037
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$28,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$40,000
Location Quotient:	0.94

Best states for a prep cook/dishwasher

10 best states for prep cook/dishwashers in 2025

1. Alaska

2. Washington

3. Oregon

4. Nevada

5. Idaho

6. Arizona

7. California

8. New York

9. Wyoming

10. New Hampshire