Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Connecticut employs 136,700 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 Connecticut, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in Connecticut, 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 | $64,310 | $69,680 | 3,080 | $30/hr |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $52,940 | $55,720 | 10,770 | $25/hr |
| 3 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $46,120 | $46,320 | 4,500 | $22/hr |
| 4 | Cooks, Short Order | $42,450 | $42,250 | N/A | $20/hr |
| 5 | Cooks, Restaurant | $39,480 | $42,110 | 14,830 | $18/hr |
| 6 | Bartenders | $38,780 | $51,020 | 7,680 | $18/hr |
| 7 | Waiters and Waitresses | $37,770 | $46,220 | 22,370 | $18/hr |
| 8 | Food Preparation Workers | $36,650 | $39,290 | 12,250 | $17/hr |
| 9 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,950 | $37,550 | 5,050 | $17/hr |
| 10 | Dishwashers | $35,550 | $36,700 | 7,340 | $17/hr |
| 11 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $35,380 | $36,330 | 35,720 | $17/hr |
| 12 | Cooks, Fast Food | $34,980 | $36,360 | 3,630 | $16/hr |
| 13 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $34,540 | $37,640 | 5,810 | $16/hr |
| 14 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $34,210 | $36,000 | 3,670 | $16/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Connecticut:
Connecticut has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 136,700 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in Connecticut is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $64,310/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in Connecticut is $40,651/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in Connecticut range from $34,010 (entry-level) to $99,870 (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 Connecticut. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources