Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Nebraska employs 90,790 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 Nebraska, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in Nebraska, 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 | $60,510 | $66,990 | 540 | $29/hr |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $39,230 | $42,170 | 7,840 | $18/hr |
| 3 | Cooks, Restaurant | $37,030 | $37,190 | 4,750 | $17/hr |
| 4 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $36,390 | $37,310 | 4,410 | $17/hr |
| 5 | Food Preparation Workers | $35,210 | $34,880 | 6,890 | $16/hr |
| 6 | Waiters and Waitresses | $33,770 | $39,590 | 13,310 | $16/hr |
| 7 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $31,540 | $32,860 | 3,800 | $15/hr |
| 8 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $30,690 | $33,170 | 2,160 | $14/hr |
| 9 | Cooks, Short Order | $30,530 | $33,080 | 1,810 | $14/hr |
| 10 | Cooks, Fast Food | $30,430 | $31,910 | 2,900 | $14/hr |
| 11 | Bartenders | $30,180 | $38,350 | 7,320 | $14/hr |
| 12 | Dishwashers | $29,740 | $31,860 | 2,170 | $14/hr |
| 13 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $29,000 | $30,910 | 30,060 | $13/hr |
| 14 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $28,450 | $31,480 | 2,830 | $13/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Nebraska:
Nebraska has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 90,790 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in Nebraska is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $60,510/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in Nebraska is $34,479/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in Nebraska range from $28,080 (entry-level) to $99,990 (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 Nebraska. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources