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Food handler salary
Average food handler salary
$15.66
Understanding Food Handler Salaries
The average food handler salary is $32,581 annually, equating to approximately $16 per hour. Factors influencing this salary include geographical location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which a food handler works. For instance, food handlers in states such as California and New York often earn higher wages compared to those in other regions.
Salary by State
In California, food handlers can earn upwards of $40,000 annually, making it one of the best states for this profession. States like Texas and Florida also offer competitive salaries, reflecting the demand for skilled food handlers in these regions.
Advancement Opportunities
Food handlers have a range of career pathways, from entry-level positions to supervisory roles. Acquiring certifications and gaining experience can lead to higher-paying jobs within the food service industry. Exploring different sectors, such as catering or food safety inspection, can also enhance earning potential.
By staying informed about salary trends and job opportunities in your area, you can make strategic career decisions that align with your financial goals.
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Where can a Food Handler earn more?
Food handler salary estimates from across the web
Average food handler salary by state
The highest-paying states for food handlers are Washington, New Hampshire, and New York. The lowest average food handler salary states are Mississippi, North Carolina, and Virginia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for food handlers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $36,098 | $17.35 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $35,056 | $16.85 |
| 3 | Arizona | $35,466 | $17.05 |
| 4 | Iowa | $36,103 | $17.36 |
| 5 | Utah | $38,444 | $18.48 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $39,301 | $18.89 |
| 7 | Washington | $39,779 | $19.12 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $35,651 | $17.14 |
| 9 | Oregon | $37,542 | $18.05 |
| 10 | New York | $38,533 | $18.53 |
| 11 | Idaho | $36,182 | $17.40 |
| 12 | Vermont | $36,559 | $17.58 |
| 13 | Ohio | $31,650 | $15.22 |
| 14 | Colorado | $34,616 | $16.64 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $34,261 | $16.47 |
| 16 | Delaware | $33,663 | $16.18 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $36,087 | $17.35 |
| 18 | Missouri | $32,603 | $15.67 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $33,304 | $16.01 |
| 20 | Montana | $32,908 | $15.82 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $33,458 | $16.09 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $33,545 | $16.13 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $31,102 | $14.95 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $30,673 | $14.75 |
| 25 | Kansas | $31,978 | $15.37 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $32,384 | $15.57 |
| 27 | Indiana | $29,036 | $13.96 |
| 28 | Maine | $31,173 | $14.99 |
| 29 | Alaska | $31,623 | $15.20 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $31,600 | $15.19 |
| 31 | California | $33,797 | $16.25 |
| 32 | Texas | $30,326 | $14.58 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $28,474 | $13.69 |
| 34 | Nevada | $30,591 | $14.71 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $27,090 | $13.02 |
| 36 | Georgia | $28,762 | $13.83 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $27,092 | $13.03 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $34,560 | $16.62 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $29,249 | $14.06 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $27,017 | $12.99 |
| 41 | Illinois | $28,011 | $13.47 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $25,471 | $12.25 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $27,051 | $13.01 |
| 44 | Maryland | $29,998 | $14.42 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $27,382 | $13.16 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $31,414 | $15.10 |
| 47 | Alabama | $27,522 | $13.23 |
| 48 | Virginia | $26,648 | $12.81 |
| 49 | Florida | $25,754 | $12.38 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $27,374 | $13.16 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $25,182 | $12.11 |
Highest paying cities for food handlers
The highest-paying cities for food handlers are Syracuse, NY, Grand Rapids, MI, and Phoenix, AZ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syracuse, NY | $39,413 | $18.95 |
| 2 | Grand Rapids, MI | $36,257 | $17.43 |
| 3 | Phoenix, AZ | $35,564 | $17.10 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $34,687 | $16.68 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $34,541 | $16.61 |
| 6 | Newark, NJ | $33,471 | $16.09 |
| 7 | Irving, TX | $30,558 | $14.69 |
| 8 | Las Vegas, NV | $30,430 | $14.63 |
| 9 | Atlanta, GA | $28,928 | $13.91 |
| 10 | Cicero, IL | $28,061 | $13.49 |
| 11 | Owasso, OK | $27,505 | $13.22 |
| 12 | Alexandria, VA | $27,440 | $13.19 |
| 13 | Montgomery, AL | $27,257 | $13.10 |
| 14 | Clermont, FL | $25,754 | $12.38 |
Food handler salary details
A food handler's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $39,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a food handler's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| 75th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| Average | $32,581 | $2,715 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
Highest paying food handler jobs
The highest paying types of food handlers are crew trainer, associate food scientist, and fast food cashier.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen Staff | $29,816 | $2,485 | $14.33 | 154,513 |
| Crew Member | $28,946 | $2,412 | $13.92 | 239,413 |
| Line Server | $28,300 | $2,358 | $13.61 | 246,165 |
| Cook/Server | $29,716 | $2,476 | $14.29 | 257,582 |
| Food Service Attendant | $25,604 | $2,134 | $12.31 | 229,108 |
| Crew Trainer | $53,128 | $4,427 | $25.54 | 101,338 |
Top companies hiring food handlers now:
Which companies pay food handlers the most?
Food handler salaries at Syracuse University and Cargill are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average food handler salary at companies like Community Housing Innovations and University Medical Center of Southern Nevada are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syracuse University | $38,908 | $18.71 |
| 2 | Cargill | $37,835 | $18.19 |
| 3 | Community Housing Innovations | $35,149 | $16.90 |
| 4 | University Medical Center of Southern Nevada | $35,054 | $16.85 |
| 5 | Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York | $33,649 | $16.18 |
| 6 | Live Nation Entertainment | $32,353 | $15.55 |
| 7 | Tyson Foods | $32,165 | $15.46 |
| 8 | BRC | $32,114 | $15.44 |
| 9 | Compass Group USA | $31,709 | $15.24 |
| 10 | Bennington College | $31,155 | $14.98 |
| 11 | The Walt Disney Company | $31,005 | $14.91 |
| 12 | PeopleReady | $30,866 | $14.84 |
| 13 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $30,695 | $14.76 |
| 14 | Automation Personnel Services | $30,264 | $14.55 |
| 15 | House of Blues | $29,906 | $14.38 |
| 16 | Carl's Jr. India | $29,550 | $14.21 |
| 17 | Children's Home Society of Florida | $28,469 | $13.69 |
| 18 | Police Athletic League | $24,111 | $11.59 |
| 19 | Catholic Charities of The Archdiocese of Chicago | $24,041 | $11.56 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Food Handler salary by industry
The average food handler salary varies across industries:
- The average food handler salary in the finance industry is $37,836, the highest of any industry.
- The average food handler salary in the finance industry is $33,083.
- Food handlers in the hospitality industry earn an average salary of $27,711, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for food handlers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $37,836 | $18.19 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $33,083 | $15.91 |
| 3 | Retail | $32,725 | $15.73 |
| 4 | Media | $30,651 | $14.74 |
| 5 | Hospitality | $27,711 | $13.32 |
High paying food handler jobs
Food handler salary trends
The average food handler salary has risen by $7,361 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average food handler earned $25,220 annually, but today, they earn $32,581 a year. That works out to a 21% change in pay for food handlers over the last decade.
Compare food handler salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average food handler salary over time
Compare food handler salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Food handler salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $32,600 | $15.66 | +4.7% |
| 2025 | $31,100 | $14.93 | +5.4% |
| 2024 | $29,400 | $14.13 | +5.0% |
| 2023 | $27,900 | $13.42 | +3.7% |
| 2022 | $26,900 | $12.93 | +2.7% |
Recently added food handler salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio Department of Education | Food Handler | Ravenna, OH | 06/11/2025 | $31,660 |
| Ravenna City Schools | Food Handler | Enon, OH | 06/09/2025 | $31,660 |
| Cargill, Inc. | Food Handler | Lake Odessa, MI | 06/03/2025 | $40,175 |
| Ohio Department of Education | Substitute Food Handler | Ravenna, OH | 05/23/2025 | $22,957 |
| Police Athletic League | Site Food Handler | New York, NY | 05/22/2025 | $35,479 |
| Community Housing Innovations | Food Handler | Wading River, NY | 05/10/2025 | $14,835 |
| The Goddard School | Food Handler-Culinary Cook | Edwardsville, IL | 05/06/2025 | $33,392 |
| Cargill | Food Handler | Lake Odessa, MI | 04/23/2025 | $40,175 |
| Muse Paintbar | Food Handler/Server | Arlington, VA | 04/20/2025 | $33,392 |
| Associated Universities | Housekeeper/Foodhandler | Green Bank, WV | 03/30/2025 | $31,305 |
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