Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Vermont employs 25,000 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 Vermont, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in Vermont, 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 | $65,440 | $68,130 | 610 | $31/hr |
| 2 | Waiters and Waitresses | $59,140 | $58,850 | 4,040 | $28/hr |
| 3 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $49,820 | $52,200 | 1,970 | $23/hr |
| 4 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $46,370 | $46,260 | 1,330 | $22/hr |
| 5 | Bartenders | $45,450 | $51,780 | 2,080 | $21/hr |
| 6 | Cooks, Restaurant | $45,390 | $43,680 | 2,360 | $21/hr |
| 7 | Cooks, Short Order | $38,830 | $41,030 | 670 | $18/hr |
| 8 | Cooks, Fast Food | $38,230 | $37,110 | 640 | $18/hr |
| 9 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $37,540 | $40,840 | 780 | $18/hr |
| 10 | Food Preparation Workers | $36,550 | $38,850 | 1,350 | $17/hr |
| 11 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $36,030 | $37,610 | 6,830 | $17/hr |
| 12 | Dishwashers | $36,010 | $35,270 | 1,280 | $17/hr |
| 13 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $34,120 | $36,570 | N/A | $16/hr |
| 14 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,080 | $35,670 | 1,060 | $14/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Vermont:
Vermont has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 25,000 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in Vermont is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $65,440/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in Vermont is $42,857/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in Vermont range from $29,470 (entry-level) to $91,400 (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 Vermont. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources