Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

The median annual wage for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations is $32,240, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $34,490, and an estimated 13,247,870 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +26.4% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of +7.4% after inflation.

Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment

How the national median wage for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.

National median wage trend for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations, nominal and inflation-adjusted, BLS OEWS.
Year	Median (nominal)	In 2023 $ (real)	Employment
2023	$32,240	$32,240	13,247,870
2022	$29,640	$30,860	12,514,620
2021	$28,400	$31,935	11,201,480
2020	$25,500	$30,022	11,262,850

Nominal change

+26.4%

Inflation (CPI)

+17.7%

Real change

+7.4%

Highest-Paying Areas (2023)

Where Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations earn the most, and how each area's median compares to the national median of $32,240. A positive premium means the area pays above the national rate.

Highest-paying areas for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations, BLS OEWS 2023.
Area	Median Annual	vs National	Employment
Washington	$38,340	+18.9%	294,820
District of Columbia	$37,800	+17.2%	55,000
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area	$36,680	+13.8%	9,380
Vermont	$36,640	+13.6%	25,780
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area	$36,390	+12.9%	13,930
Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area	$36,260	+12.5%	6,280
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area	$36,180	+12.2%	17,640
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area	$36,160	+12.2%	9,230
Massachusetts	$35,990	+11.6%	288,730
California	$35,970	+11.6%	1,600,160