Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Idaho employs 73,900 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 Idaho, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in Idaho, 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 | $52,000 | $57,390 | 550 | $25/hr |
| 2 | Cooks, Short Order | $40,090 | $39,740 | 120 | $19/hr |
| 3 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $38,190 | $42,400 | 7,440 | $18/hr |
| 4 | Cooks, Restaurant | $36,440 | $36,970 | 8,130 | $17/hr |
| 5 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $35,600 | $36,160 | 3,650 | $17/hr |
| 6 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $34,220 | $33,920 | 930 | $16/hr |
| 7 | Food Preparation Workers | $31,510 | $32,380 | 4,670 | $15/hr |
| 8 | Cooks, Fast Food | $31,070 | $29,060 | 1,610 | $14/hr |
| 9 | Waiters and Waitresses | $30,050 | $35,320 | 10,950 | $14/hr |
| 10 | Dishwashers | $29,920 | $31,540 | 2,730 | $14/hr |
| 11 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,940 | $28,630 | 25,810 | $13/hr |
| 12 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $27,810 | $27,800 | 1,520 | $13/hr |
| 13 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $27,280 | $26,370 | 2,360 | $13/hr |
| 14 | Bartenders | $27,240 | $32,670 | 3,430 | $13/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Idaho:
Idaho has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 73,900 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in Idaho is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $52,000/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in Idaho is $33,597/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in Idaho range from $16,770 (entry-level) to $83,240 (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 Idaho. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources