Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
North Dakota employs 35,550 Food Preparation & Serving professionals across 13 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 North Dakota, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in North Dakota, 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 | $74,740 | $68,520 | 100 | $35/hr |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $44,720 | $45,290 | 2,780 | $21/hr |
| 3 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $39,490 | $41,140 | 1,820 | $18/hr |
| 4 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $36,910 | $38,080 | 1,630 | $17/hr |
| 5 | Food Preparation Workers | $36,800 | $36,210 | 980 | $17/hr |
| 6 | Cooks, Restaurant | $36,470 | $36,690 | 4,490 | $17/hr |
| 7 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $31,010 | $30,980 | 890 | $14/hr |
| 8 | Waiters and Waitresses | $30,890 | $36,250 | 5,250 | $14/hr |
| 9 | Cooks, Fast Food | $30,220 | $31,850 | 580 | $14/hr |
| 10 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $30,080 | $31,260 | 11,470 | $14/hr |
| 11 | Dishwashers | $29,980 | $30,710 | 800 | $14/hr |
| 12 | Bartenders | $29,040 | $33,390 | 3,960 | $13/hr |
| 13 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $28,660 | $29,970 | 800 | $13/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across North Dakota:
North Dakota has 13 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 35,550 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in North Dakota is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $74,740/year.
The average median salary across 13 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in North Dakota is $36,847/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in North Dakota range from $18,470 (entry-level) to $85,190 (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 North Dakota. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources