Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
California employs 1,588,130 Food Preparation & Serving professionals across 14 occupations. Explore salary ranges, top paying jobs, and career opportunities within the Food Preparation & Serving industry.
The best-compensated occupations within Food Preparation & Serving in California, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in California, sorted by median salary (highest to lowest). Click any job title for state-specific salary details.
| # | Job Title | Median Salary | Mean Salary | Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chefs and Head Cooks | $64,500 | $69,130 | 31,670 | $31/hr |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $46,980 | $52,810 | 130,190 | $22/hr |
| 3 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $46,390 | $47,900 | 31,660 | $22/hr |
| 4 | Cooks, Restaurant | $44,880 | $45,020 | 152,250 | $21/hr |
| 5 | Cooks, Short Order | $42,930 | $42,260 | 30,740 | $20/hr |
| 6 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $42,280 | $41,680 | 449,840 | $20/hr |
| 7 | Cooks, Fast Food | $42,050 | $41,490 | 124,440 | $20/hr |
| 8 | Food Preparation Workers | $39,350 | $41,480 | 112,750 | $18/hr |
| 9 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $39,010 | $43,580 | 32,430 | $18/hr |
| 10 | Dishwashers | $37,870 | $39,710 | 74,160 | $18/hr |
| 11 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $36,640 | $39,900 | 41,100 | $17/hr |
| 12 | Bartenders | $36,220 | $44,780 | 71,470 | $17/hr |
| 13 | Waiters and Waitresses | $36,080 | $44,600 | 229,970 | $17/hr |
| 14 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $36,010 | $40,660 | 75,460 | $17/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across California:
California has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 1,588,130 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in California is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $64,500/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in California is $42,228/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in California range from $34,320 (entry-level) to $101,870 (senior) across all occupations.
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes organize jobs into groups. Food Preparation & Serving occupations use SOC prefix 35. Data comes from BLS OEWS.
Data: BLS OEWS 2025. Salary figures represent May 2025 compensation for occupations classified under SOC code 35* in California. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources