Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Michigan employs 359,330 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 Michigan, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in Michigan, 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 | $60,070 | $62,460 | 5,360 | $28/hr |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $37,940 | $42,050 | 32,890 | $18/hr |
| 3 | Waiters and Waitresses | $37,760 | $44,910 | 65,090 | $18/hr |
| 4 | Cooks, Restaurant | $36,980 | $37,570 | 39,100 | $17/hr |
| 5 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $36,870 | $37,370 | 13,500 | $17/hr |
| 6 | Bartenders | $36,780 | $44,470 | 21,100 | $17/hr |
| 7 | Cooks, Short Order | $34,510 | $34,620 | 2,560 | $16/hr |
| 8 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $34,260 | $33,930 | 7,700 | $16/hr |
| 9 | Dishwashers | $31,300 | $32,260 | 11,510 | $15/hr |
| 10 | Food Preparation Workers | $31,180 | $32,720 | 17,380 | $14/hr |
| 11 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $30,390 | $33,580 | 13,050 | $14/hr |
| 12 | Cooks, Fast Food | $29,460 | $30,400 | 14,340 | $14/hr |
| 13 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $28,950 | $31,010 | 12,620 | $13/hr |
| 14 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,930 | $30,260 | 103,130 | $13/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Michigan:
Michigan has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 359,330 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in Michigan is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $60,070/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in Michigan is $35,384/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in Michigan range from $25,960 (entry-level) to $82,000 (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 Michigan. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources