Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
New Jersey employs 312,710 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 New Jersey, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in New Jersey, 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 | $74,280 | $72,930 | 9,100 | $35/hr |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $48,420 | $52,400 | 27,750 | $23/hr |
| 3 | Waiters and Waitresses | $44,960 | $50,260 | 55,800 | $21/hr |
| 4 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $44,520 | $44,110 | 7,490 | $21/hr |
| 5 | Bartenders | $44,020 | $51,440 | 16,260 | $21/hr |
| 6 | Cooks, Short Order | $40,720 | $41,380 | 850 | $19/hr |
| 7 | Cooks, Restaurant | $38,460 | $40,770 | 28,800 | $18/hr |
| 8 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $36,390 | $37,180 | 11,400 | $17/hr |
| 9 | Dishwashers | $35,900 | $36,390 | 7,450 | $17/hr |
| 10 | Food Preparation Workers | $35,540 | $37,680 | 24,730 | $17/hr |
| 11 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $34,170 | $37,340 | 16,490 | $16/hr |
| 12 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $34,150 | $35,110 | 93,730 | $16/hr |
| 13 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $34,050 | $35,800 | 9,420 | $16/hr |
| 14 | Cooks, Fast Food | $32,220 | $35,240 | 3,440 | $15/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across New Jersey:
New Jersey has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 312,710 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in New Jersey is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $74,280/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in New Jersey is $41,271/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in New Jersey range from $32,220 (entry-level) to $100,100 (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 New Jersey. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources