Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Minnesota employs 242,330 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 Minnesota, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in Minnesota, 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 | $62,600 | $66,910 | 1,730 | $30/hr |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $45,270 | $47,840 | 20,760 | $21/hr |
| 3 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $43,460 | $43,050 | 7,890 | $20/hr |
| 4 | Cooks, Restaurant | $38,590 | $40,210 | 26,080 | $18/hr |
| 5 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $36,000 | $37,010 | 11,090 | $17/hr |
| 6 | Food Preparation Workers | $34,850 | $35,610 | 24,620 | $16/hr |
| 7 | Cooks, Fast Food | $34,120 | $34,010 | 5,190 | $16/hr |
| 8 | Dishwashers | $34,060 | $32,970 | 8,710 | $16/hr |
| 9 | Cooks, Short Order | $32,150 | $33,030 | 870 | $15/hr |
| 10 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $31,370 | $32,450 | 58,970 | $15/hr |
| 11 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $30,200 | $31,620 | 7,150 | $14/hr |
| 12 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $29,210 | $30,730 | 7,220 | $14/hr |
| 13 | Bartenders | $26,900 | $30,680 | 24,420 | $12/hr |
| 14 | Waiters and Waitresses | $25,470 | $30,060 | 37,630 | $12/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Minnesota:
Minnesota has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 242,330 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in Minnesota is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $62,600/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in Minnesota is $36,018/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in Minnesota range from $23,150 (entry-level) to $95,890 (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 Minnesota. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources