Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
New Mexico employs 82,010 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 Mexico, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in New Mexico, 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 | $62,250 | $67,080 | 770 | $29/hr |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $39,310 | $43,660 | 6,540 | $18/hr |
| 3 | Cooks, Short Order | $37,150 | $36,560 | 750 | $17/hr |
| 4 | Bartenders | $36,980 | $41,500 | 3,790 | $17/hr |
| 5 | Waiters and Waitresses | $36,920 | $43,210 | 12,740 | $17/hr |
| 6 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $36,470 | $37,130 | 3,160 | $17/hr |
| 7 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,740 | $36,310 | 670 | $17/hr |
| 8 | Cooks, Restaurant | $35,020 | $35,070 | 7,810 | $16/hr |
| 9 | Food Preparation Workers | $33,370 | $32,880 | 6,850 | $16/hr |
| 10 | Dishwashers | $30,520 | $31,860 | 3,250 | $14/hr |
| 11 | Cooks, Fast Food | $30,190 | $32,010 | 1,800 | $14/hr |
| 12 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $29,360 | $31,230 | 2,960 | $14/hr |
| 13 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,700 | $30,260 | 28,250 | $13/hr |
| 14 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $28,480 | $30,220 | 2,670 | $13/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across New Mexico:
New Mexico has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 82,010 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in New Mexico is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $62,250/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in New Mexico is $35,747/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in New Mexico range from $25,720 (entry-level) to $100,010 (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 Mexico. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources