Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Mississippi employs 108,640 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 Mississippi, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in Mississippi, 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 | $54,850 | $56,910 | 840 | $26/hr |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $36,530 | $39,180 | 10,480 | $17/hr |
| 3 | Cooks, Restaurant | $29,560 | $29,770 | 10,770 | $14/hr |
| 4 | Bartenders | $28,320 | $36,510 | 2,770 | $13/hr |
| 5 | Cooks, Short Order | $28,180 | $27,140 | 1,890 | $13/hr |
| 6 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $27,390 | $27,850 | 6,420 | $13/hr |
| 7 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $27,250 | $26,970 | 1,860 | $13/hr |
| 8 | Dishwashers | $26,300 | $25,380 | 2,880 | $12/hr |
| 9 | Food Preparation Workers | $26,240 | $26,750 | 7,870 | $12/hr |
| 10 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $23,180 | $24,480 | 2,620 | $11/hr |
| 11 | Cooks, Fast Food | $22,670 | $23,560 | 11,170 | $10/hr |
| 12 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $22,610 | $23,880 | 31,220 | $10/hr |
| 13 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $21,990 | $23,510 | 2,660 | $10/hr |
| 14 | Waiters and Waitresses | $21,370 | $24,680 | 15,190 | $10/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Mississippi:
Mississippi has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 108,640 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in Mississippi is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $54,850/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in Mississippi is $28,317/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in Mississippi range from $15,330 (entry-level) to $83,850 (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 Mississippi. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources