Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Massachusetts employs 289,910 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 Massachusetts, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in Massachusetts, 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 | $69,540 | $73,420 | 6,000 | $33/hr |
| 2 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $47,790 | $48,750 | 7,430 | $22/hr |
| 3 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $46,600 | $52,600 | 23,220 | $22/hr |
| 4 | Cooks, Restaurant | $45,600 | $45,450 | 29,570 | $21/hr |
| 5 | Cooks, Short Order | $44,290 | $42,700 | 4,760 | $21/hr |
| 6 | Food Preparation Workers | $38,900 | $41,030 | 13,620 | $18/hr |
| 7 | Waiters and Waitresses | $38,460 | $44,480 | 54,670 | $18/hr |
| 8 | Cooks, Fast Food | $37,870 | $40,080 | N/A | $18/hr |
| 9 | Bartenders | $37,440 | $45,120 | 19,850 | $18/hr |
| 10 | Dishwashers | $37,190 | $39,100 | 14,100 | $17/hr |
| 11 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $36,750 | $38,520 | 5,830 | $17/hr |
| 12 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $35,850 | $35,880 | 85,810 | $17/hr |
| 13 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $35,380 | $39,220 | 11,510 | $17/hr |
| 14 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $34,960 | $35,420 | 13,540 | $16/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Massachusetts:
Massachusetts has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 289,910 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in Massachusetts is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $69,540/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in Massachusetts is $41,901/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in Massachusetts range from $31,200 (entry-level) to $99,270 (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 Massachusetts. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources