Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations — sector wage premium by US state
Which US states pay above the national average for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations?
As of May 2025 BLS OEWS data, Washington pays +33.1% above the national employment-weighted average for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations (state median: $44,590 vs national approx. $33,497). Sector GUPPI ranks 51 US states. Re-dated annually from BLS OEWS.
Gera US Sector Pay Premium Index
Washington ranks #1 for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations pay. National employment-weighted average: $33,497.
How this is calculatedFood Preparation and Serving Related Occupations — GUPPI by US state
All 51 states where BLS publishes a median, ranked highest GUPPI first. SOC code 350000.
| # | State | Median salary | GUPPI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $44,590 | +33.1% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $44,390 | +32.5% |
| 3 | California | $40,250 | +20.2% |
| 4 | Hawaii | $39,480 | +17.9% |
| 5 | Vermont | $38,210 | +14.1% |
| 6 | New York | $37,850 | +13.0% |
| 7 | Colorado | $37,810 | +12.9% |
| 8 | Oregon | $37,670 | +12.5% |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $37,300 | +11.4% |
| 10 | Maine | $37,040 | +10.6% |
| 11 | Connecticut | $36,610 | +9.3% |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $36,490 | +8.9% |
| 13 | New Jersey | $36,480 | +8.9% |
| 14 | Arizona | $36,190 | +8.0% |
| 15 | Maryland | $36,050 | +7.6% |
| 16 | Delaware | $35,720 | +6.6% |
| 17 | Alaska | $35,600 | +6.3% |
| 18 | Virginia | $35,110 | +4.8% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $34,960 | +4.4% |
| 20 | Florida | $34,610 | +3.3% |
| 21 | Illinois | $34,260 | +2.3% |
| 22 | Nevada | $34,020 | +1.6% |
| 23 | North Dakota | $34,040 | +1.6% |
| 24 | Minnesota | $33,860 | +1.1% |
| 25 | Michigan | $33,570 | +0.2% |
| 26 | Nebraska | $31,860 | −4.9% |
| 27 | Missouri | $31,080 | −7.2% |
| 28 | Utah | $30,890 | −7.8% |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $30,770 | −8.1% |
| 30 | New Mexico | $30,630 | −8.6% |
| 31 | Montana | $30,580 | −8.7% |
| 32 | Ohio | $30,300 | −9.5% |
| 33 | Idaho | $30,180 | −9.9% |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $30,160 | −10.0% |
| 35 | South Dakota | $30,060 | −10.3% |
| 36 | North Carolina | $29,820 | −11.0% |
| 37 | Iowa | $29,620 | −11.6% |
| 38 | Wyoming | $29,490 | −12.0% |
| 39 | Indiana | $29,460 | −12.1% |
| 40 | Tennessee | $29,310 | −12.5% |
| 41 | Kansas | $29,270 | −12.6% |
| 42 | Georgia | $28,810 | −14.0% |
| 43 | South Carolina | $28,640 | −14.5% |
| 44 | Kentucky | $28,620 | −14.6% |
| 45 | Texas | $28,600 | −14.6% |
| 46 | Alabama | $27,780 | −17.1% |
| 47 | West Virginia | $27,680 | −17.4% |
| 48 | Arkansas | $27,600 | −17.6% |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $27,110 | −19.1% |
| 50 | Mississippi | $24,280 | −27.5% |
| 51 | Louisiana | $23,400 | −30.1% |
Benchmark your salary against the sector median in Washington
Enter your annual salary to see how you compare to the BLS OEWS May 2025 sector median for Washington.
Frequently asked questions
- Which states pay the most for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations?
- Washington is ranked #1 for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations with a GUPPI of +33.1% and a BLS OEWS May 2025 median of $44,590/yr. The national employment-weighted average is $33,497/yr.
- Which states pay the least for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations?
- Louisiana has the lowest sector GUPPI for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations: −30.1% (BLS median $23,400/yr vs national average $33,497/yr).
- What does the GUPPI mean for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations?
- GUPPI = (state median − emp-weighted national average) / national average × 100. A positive GUPPI means employers in that state pay above the national average for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations. A negative GUPPI means they pay below. It is a raw wage premium with no cost-of-living adjustment.
- How is the Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations sector defined?
- Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations is BLS SOC major group 350000. It is the broadest level of occupational classification in BLS OEWS, covering all occupations within that sector regardless of industry. See the BLS OEWS website for the full list of occupations within this group.
Find Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations jobs with salary ranges
GeraJobs lists live vacancies where employers state salary ranges — browseFood Preparation and Serving Related Occupations roles and filter by state.
Data source
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — Major Group Rollups · May 2025 state estimates (major-group rollup) · Public domain (U.S. federal government work)
GUPPI computed by GeraJobs. Last updated: 2026-06-20. Full methodology · ← All sectors