Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Washington employs 294,450 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 Washington, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in Washington, 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 | $76,010 | $74,670 | 5,320 | $36/hr |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $59,400 | $61,990 | 20,700 | $28/hr |
| 3 | Waiters and Waitresses | $56,130 | $60,590 | 45,400 | $26/hr |
| 4 | Bartenders | $55,830 | $60,010 | 16,800 | $26/hr |
| 5 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $49,670 | $51,290 | 9,780 | $23/hr |
| 6 | Cooks, Restaurant | $46,800 | $47,200 | 35,140 | $22/hr |
| 7 | Cooks, Short Order | $42,760 | $43,990 | 1,700 | $20/hr |
| 8 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $41,420 | $45,430 | 6,160 | $19/hr |
| 9 | Food Preparation Workers | $40,910 | $42,660 | 19,510 | $19/hr |
| 10 | Dishwashers | $40,080 | $41,510 | 12,630 | $19/hr |
| 11 | Cooks, Fast Food | $39,120 | $41,420 | 9,020 | $18/hr |
| 12 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $38,870 | $42,000 | 8,050 | $18/hr |
| 13 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $37,710 | $40,390 | 94,710 | $18/hr |
| 14 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $37,270 | $42,140 | 9,530 | $17/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Washington:
Washington has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 294,450 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in Washington is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $76,010/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in Washington is $47,284/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in Washington range from $34,650 (entry-level) to $95,990 (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 Washington. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources