Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Wisconsin employs 247,570 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 Wisconsin, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in Wisconsin, 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 | $61,300 | $64,210 | 1,860 | $29/hr |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $39,670 | $43,660 | 21,240 | $19/hr |
| 3 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $38,650 | $39,860 | 9,890 | $18/hr |
| 4 | Cooks, Restaurant | $36,550 | $36,690 | 25,410 | $17/hr |
| 5 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $34,670 | $35,080 | 6,680 | $16/hr |
| 6 | Food Preparation Workers | $34,070 | $34,000 | 17,990 | $16/hr |
| 7 | Waiters and Waitresses | $29,670 | $34,570 | 36,220 | $14/hr |
| 8 | Dishwashers | $29,070 | $28,860 | 8,190 | $13/hr |
| 9 | Cooks, Fast Food | $28,920 | $29,310 | 6,900 | $13/hr |
| 10 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,600 | $29,110 | 67,750 | $13/hr |
| 11 | Cooks, Short Order | $28,130 | $30,050 | 2,270 | $13/hr |
| 12 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $28,060 | $28,440 | 6,430 | $13/hr |
| 13 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $27,080 | $27,510 | 7,220 | $13/hr |
| 14 | Bartenders | $23,460 | $26,970 | 29,520 | $11/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Wisconsin:
Wisconsin has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 247,570 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in Wisconsin is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $61,300/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in Wisconsin is $33,421/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in Wisconsin range from $16,800 (entry-level) to $87,570 (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 Wisconsin. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources