Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Indiana employs 274,140 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 Indiana, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in Indiana, 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 | $52,190 | $55,060 | 1,940 | $25/hr |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $44,880 | $46,380 | 23,500 | $21/hr |
| 3 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $35,980 | $35,910 | 11,130 | $17/hr |
| 4 | Cooks, Restaurant | $35,170 | $34,150 | 26,960 | $16/hr |
| 5 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $31,840 | $32,400 | 3,900 | $15/hr |
| 6 | Cooks, Fast Food | $29,870 | $30,720 | 6,830 | $14/hr |
| 7 | Food Preparation Workers | $29,700 | $31,560 | 16,200 | $14/hr |
| 8 | Dishwashers | $29,480 | $29,700 | 7,000 | $14/hr |
| 9 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,790 | $28,980 | 97,290 | $13/hr |
| 10 | Waiters and Waitresses | $28,480 | $31,170 | 43,620 | $13/hr |
| 11 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $28,320 | $28,590 | 10,220 | $13/hr |
| 12 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $26,920 | $27,730 | 9,730 | $12/hr |
| 13 | Bartenders | $22,770 | $27,780 | 12,880 | $10/hr |
| 14 | Cooks, Short Order | $21,940 | $26,850 | 2,940 | $10/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Indiana:
Indiana has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 274,140 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in Indiana is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $52,190/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in Indiana is $31,881/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in Indiana range from $17,050 (entry-level) to $82,430 (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 Indiana. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources