Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Montana employs 52,160 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 Montana, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in Montana, 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 | $57,470 | $61,580 | 720 | $27/hr |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $44,010 | $46,280 | 4,650 | $21/hr |
| 3 | Cooks, Restaurant | $38,060 | $38,980 | 7,580 | $18/hr |
| 4 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,150 | $38,950 | 2,290 | $17/hr |
| 5 | Food Preparation Workers | $33,860 | $33,700 | 2,990 | $16/hr |
| 6 | Cooks, Short Order | $33,240 | $33,420 | N/A | $15/hr |
| 7 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $32,090 | $32,400 | 1,050 | $15/hr |
| 8 | Dishwashers | $30,130 | $31,350 | 2,120 | $14/hr |
| 9 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $29,090 | $30,120 | 14,960 | $13/hr |
| 10 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $28,910 | $29,320 | 1,260 | $13/hr |
| 11 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $27,510 | $29,340 | 1,150 | $13/hr |
| 12 | Cooks, Fast Food | $26,770 | $30,260 | 820 | $12/hr |
| 13 | Bartenders | $26,010 | $27,210 | 5,370 | $12/hr |
| 14 | Waiters and Waitresses | $23,370 | $29,180 | 7,200 | $11/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Montana:
Montana has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 52,160 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in Montana is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $57,470/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in Montana is $33,405/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in Montana range from $21,940 (entry-level) to $80,180 (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 Montana. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources