First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $29,940 | $14.40 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $44,080 | $21.19 |
| Mean (average) | $46,180 | $22.20 |
| 90th percentile | $65,570 | $31.52 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $37,110 | $28,600 | $59,500 | 19,180 | 1.15 |
| Alaska | $46,570 | $35,840 | $66,210 | 2,390 | 0.93 |
| Arizona | $40,550 | $35,440 | $63,750 | 21,450 | 0.84 |
| Arkansas | $33,800 | $27,820 | $50,580 | 11,200 | 1.09 |
| California | $46,980 | $38,630 | $75,180 | 130,190 | 0.91 |
| Colorado | $50,550 | $37,620 | $75,210 | 25,510 | 1.13 |
| Connecticut | $52,940 | $37,130 | $77,480 | 10,770 | 0.81 |
| Delaware | $48,120 | $37,610 | $73,060 | 4,030 | 1.06 |
| District of Columbia | $57,170 | $40,360 | $77,630 | 2,830 | 0.51 |
| Florida | $44,470 | $30,490 | $65,120 | 91,500 | 1.17 |
| Georgia | $38,600 | $28,400 | $62,420 | 48,420 | 1.26 |
| Guam | $27,310 | $22,970 | $34,180 | 640 | 1.23 |
| Hawaii | $48,880 | $37,530 | $78,730 | 7,330 | 1.49 |
| Idaho | $38,190 | $27,790 | $60,900 | 7,440 | 1.1 |
| Illinois | $39,470 | $32,010 | $65,000 | 41,030 | 0.86 |
| Indiana | $44,880 | $31,010 | $63,340 | 23,500 | 0.93 |
| Iowa | $38,760 | $29,010 | $60,040 | 11,400 | 0.93 |
| Kansas | $38,220 | $28,680 | $60,050 | 10,520 | 0.93 |
| Kentucky | $35,810 | $28,190 | $58,980 | 18,010 | 1.14 |
| Louisiana | $35,800 | $26,230 | $60,340 | 16,680 | 1.1 |
| Maine | $47,990 | $36,730 | $64,990 | 3,740 | 0.74 |
| Maryland | $42,450 | $35,140 | $63,470 | 20,150 | 0.93 |
| Massachusetts | $46,600 | $37,380 | $76,630 | 23,220 | 0.81 |
| Michigan | $37,940 | $29,500 | $59,750 | 32,890 | 0.95 |
| Minnesota | $45,270 | $35,910 | $65,650 | 20,760 | 0.89 |
| Mississippi | $36,530 | $26,310 | $58,450 | 10,480 | 1.15 |
| Missouri | $37,400 | $31,010 | $60,980 | 21,650 | 0.94 |
| Montana | $44,010 | $30,780 | $64,320 | 4,650 | 1.15 |
| Nebraska | $39,230 | $31,840 | $55,610 | 7,840 | 0.97 |
| Nevada | $44,030 | $30,490 | $63,520 | 14,230 | 1.17 |
| New Hampshire | $49,710 | $34,900 | $75,100 | 3,840 | 0.71 |
| New Jersey | $48,420 | $35,960 | $77,810 | 27,750 | 0.82 |
| New Mexico | $39,310 | $30,740 | $60,630 | 6,540 | 0.95 |
| New York | $47,190 | $36,570 | $73,020 | 65,580 | 0.86 |
| North Carolina | $45,010 | $29,750 | $64,670 | 39,750 | 1.02 |
| North Dakota | $44,720 | $35,250 | $60,720 | 2,780 | 0.82 |
| Ohio | $37,340 | $29,750 | $58,660 | 51,990 | 1.19 |
| Oklahoma | $35,420 | $27,000 | $56,670 | 18,900 | 1.41 |
| Oregon | $46,950 | $36,030 | $71,010 | 16,880 | 1.09 |
| Pennsylvania | $43,050 | $29,530 | $61,780 | 35,560 | 0.75 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,420 | $23,130 | $41,320 | 6,960 | 0.94 |
| Rhode Island | $48,400 | $36,350 | $75,500 | 3,320 | 0.84 |
| South Carolina | $38,520 | $28,120 | $63,080 | 20,120 | 1.11 |
| South Dakota | $40,640 | $34,350 | $50,670 | 2,920 | 0.81 |
| Tennessee | $40,500 | $29,500 | $63,140 | 29,100 | 1.13 |
| Texas | $36,480 | $28,010 | $61,560 | 137,930 | 1.25 |
| Utah | $38,750 | $30,750 | $63,210 | 13,670 | 1 |
| Vermont | $49,820 | $37,700 | $66,300 | 1,970 | 0.82 |
| Virgin Islands | $39,260 | $23,470 | $77,160 | 340 | 1.36 |
| Virginia | $45,550 | $32,030 | $63,250 | 30,640 | 0.95 |
| Washington | $59,400 | $44,110 | $81,820 | 20,700 | 0.74 |
| West Virginia | $33,070 | $27,160 | $49,390 | 6,390 | 1.16 |
| Wisconsin | $39,670 | $30,310 | $60,650 | 21,240 | 0.92 |
| Wyoming | $36,820 | $28,780 | $64,300 | 2,680 | 1.21 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 171,500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.8%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Cooking and Related Culinary Arts, General CIP 12.0500
- Culinary Arts/Chef Training CIP 12.0503
- Restaurant, Culinary, and Catering Management/Manager CIP 12.0504
- Food Service, Waiter/Waitress, and Dining Room Management/Manager CIP 12.0507
- Foodservice Systems Administration/Management CIP 19.0505
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Resolve customer complaints regarding food service.
- Train workers in food preparation, and in service, sanitation, and safety procedures.
- Assign duties, responsibilities, and work stations to employees in accordance with work requirements.
- Present bills and accept payments.
- Perform various financial activities, such as cash handling, deposit preparation, and payroll.
- Supervise and participate in kitchen and dining area cleaning activities.
- Recommend measures for improving work procedures and worker performance to increase service quality and enhance job safety.
- Specify food portions and courses, production and time sequences, and workstation and equipment arrangements.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- ADP Workforce Now
- CBORD Foodservice Suite
- CBORD Group Menu Management System
- CaterPro
- Compeat Restaurant Accounting Systems
- Compris Advanced Manager's Workstation
- Compris software
- CostGuard
- Delphi Technology
- Evernote
Transferable skills for career changers: Management of Personnel Resources, Coordination, Instructing, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Negotiation.
Common job titles: Cafeteria Manager, Dietary Supervisor, Dining Services Director, Food and Beverage Director, Food and Nutrition Services Supervisor, Food Production Supervisor, Food Service Supervisor, Kitchen Manager, Kitchen Supervisor, Restaurant Manager.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers make?
The national median annual wage for first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers was $44,080 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $29,940 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $65,570. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with less than 5 years of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers to change +5.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 171,500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($59,400), District of Columbia ($57,170), Connecticut ($52,940). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.