Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
District of Columbia employs 56,920 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 District of Columbia, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in District of Columbia, 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 | $76,420 | $79,660 | 2,020 | $36/hr |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $57,170 | $57,770 | 2,830 | $27/hr |
| 3 | Bartenders | $53,920 | $59,210 | 5,760 | $25/hr |
| 4 | Waiters and Waitresses | $47,850 | $59,510 | 11,530 | $23/hr |
| 5 | Cooks, Restaurant | $46,130 | $45,570 | 7,720 | $22/hr |
| 6 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $45,450 | $45,560 | 1,500 | $21/hr |
| 7 | Cooks, Fast Food | $44,670 | $43,710 | 2,760 | $21/hr |
| 8 | Cooks, Short Order | $42,450 | $42,780 | 1,910 | $20/hr |
| 9 | Food Preparation Workers | $39,600 | $41,350 | 3,970 | $19/hr |
| 10 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $39,080 | $45,850 | 4,130 | $18/hr |
| 11 | Dishwashers | $38,670 | $40,450 | 3,580 | $18/hr |
| 12 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $37,920 | $41,460 | 1,260 | $18/hr |
| 13 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $37,570 | $41,340 | 2,450 | $18/hr |
| 14 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $37,430 | $39,840 | 5,500 | $18/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across District of Columbia:
District of Columbia has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 56,920 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in District of Columbia is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $76,420/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in District of Columbia is $46,024/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in District of Columbia range from $36,400 (entry-level) to $104,660 (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 District of Columbia. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources