Food preparation workers

Detailed Occupation

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2021 Workforce

959k

Average Age

33.2

Estimated Job Growth

−1.07%

10-year projection

Average Salary

$16,669

Average Male Salary

$17,441

Average Female Salary

$16,127

About

Food preparation workers are most often employed by the Restaurants & Food Services industry. The average yearly wage for Food preparation workers was $16,669 in 2021.

The locations that employ the most Food preparation workers are Maui, Kalawao & Kauai Counties PUMA, HI, Washington Heights, Inwood & Marble Hill PUMA, NY, and Spring Valley & Summerlin South PUMA, NV. The locations with a relatively high concentration of Food preparation workers are Las Vegas City (Southeast) PUMA, NV, Revere, Chelsea & Winthrop Town Cities PUMA, MA, and Whitney, Sunrise Manor (South) & Paradise (Northeast) PUMA, NV.

Photo by Peter Burka

Service Occupations Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations

Employment and salary information for the Food preparation workers workforce. Food preparation workers workforce in 2021 was 959,264 people, of which 58.7% were women and 41.3% were men. Food preparation workers are paid most in Linton Hall & Gainesville PUMA, VA but are relatively concentrated in Las Vegas City (Southeast) PUMA, NV.

Employment Over Time

Metric

Grouping

396,041

Male Workforce

± 15.4k

563,223

Female Workforce

± 18.4k

The Food preparation workers workforce in 2021 was 959,264 people (58.7% women and 41.3% men). This implies an average annual growth of 10.9% between 2014 (865,334) and 2021 (959,264).

Employment by Location

Level

Metric

This map shows the states in the United States shaded by average wage for Food preparation workers.

During 2021, the states that concentrated the best average annual wage were Hawaii ($24,552), Nevada ($21,969), and New York ($21,475).

Yearly Wage Ranking

$16,669

AVERAGE WAGE

#521 in the ranking (2021)

$59,596

NATIONAL AVERAGE WAGE

For all occupations across the US

In 2021, Food preparation workers earned an average of $16,669, $42,926 less than the average national salary of $59,596

The graph shows the ranking of Food preparation workers in relation to all Detailed Occupation in 2021.

Wage Distribution

Gender

0.414

WAGE GINI

In 2021, Food preparation workers had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.414, which is lower than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Food preparation workers (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

The graphic shows the distribution of average salaries by buckets for Food preparation workers compared to the entire workforce in the country.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Food preparation workers and on wages for those in the field. Restaurants & Food Services is the industry that employs the most Food preparation workers, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Food preparation workers, by average wage, is Other health care services ($74,150).

Occupations by Industries

Metric

Value

959k

2021 Workforce

± 23,969

−3%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 3.62%

This graphic shows the share of Food preparation workers employed by various industries. Restaurants & Food Services employs the largest share of Food preparation workers at 79.7%, followed by Supermarkets and Other Grocery (except Convenience) Stores with 14.6% and Elementary & secondary schools with 5.66%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Food preparation workers in the US. The workforce of Food preparation workers in 2021 was 959,264 people, with 58.7% woman, and 41.3% men. The average age of male Food preparation workers in the workforce is 29.8 and of female Food preparation workers is 35.5, and the most common race/ethnicity for Food preparation workers is White.

Gender and Age

Metric

The workforce of Food preparation workers in 2021 was 959,264 people, with 58.7% woman, and 41.3% men.

The age ranges that concentrated the largest workforce were 16 to 19 years (209,493 people), 20 to 24 years (207,501 people), and 25 to 29 years (104,241 people). Among them they concentrated 54.4% of the total workforce.

Ethnicity

Gender

In 2021, 26.7% of Food preparation workers workers were Hispanic and 73.3% non-Hispanic.

The treemap shows the distribution of Hispanic workers according to their origin, highlighting Mexican (80.9%), Puerto Rican (10.2)%, and Salvadoran (8.86)%

You can review this information by gender using the selectors above.

Races

In 2021, 61.9% of the Food preparation workers workforce were White, of which 59.6% were women and 40.4% men. Other races that concentrated a significant number of workers were Black (13%) and Other (9.57%).

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices for Food preparation workers from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Food preparation workers is Business but the most specialized major according to RCA in 2021 were Personal & Culinary Services.

Among the necessary skills for Food preparation workers, Active Listening stands, but the revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Food preparation workers need more than the average amount of Service Orientation.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.

Type of Majors

Degree

The most common majors achieved by Food preparation workers in 2021 (counting all academic degrees) were Business (11,986 people), Visual & Performing Arts (6,595 people), and Education (5,379 people).

You can review this information for different academic grades by modifying the option selected in the selector above.

Education Levels

Metric

The main educational levels achieved by the Food preparation workers workers were High School or Equivalent (345,842 people), Some college (240,472 people), and Secondary Education (203,904 people).

The graphic shows the Food preparation workers workforce by gender and educational level.

Skills

Chart

Value

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for Food preparation workers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Food preparation workers need many skills, but most especially Active Listening, Time Management, Speaking.

Projections

Projections on job growth for Food Preparation Workers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 10-year national workforce is projected to grow 3.71%, but Food Preparation Workers are expected to see a growth of −1.07% over the same period. This occupation is expected to grow less than the national average.

Job Growth

−1.07%

Estimated Job Growth

10-year Projection

3.71%

National Growth

10-year Projection

This line chart shows the projected 10-year growth in the number of jobs for Food preparation workers. This profession is expected to grow less than than 3.71%, the average rate of national job growth.