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Salary comparison

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other vs. Fast Food and Counter Workers: Who Earns More?

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other out-earn Fast Food and Counter Workers by $5K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other land at $35,840 and Fast Food and Counter Workers at $31,200. The education gap is real: food preparation and serving related workers, all other programs typically require no formal educational credential, while fast food and counter worker programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other is Nebraska ($46,170); for Fast Food and Counter Workers it's California ($42,280).

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other
Fast Food and Counter Workers
Median salary
$35,840
$31,200
Hourly rate
$17.23/hr
$15/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$25,470
$22,840
Senior level (90th %)
$47,550
$42,650
Education required
No formal educational credential
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
84,630
3,854,050
Job growth (10-year)
6.4%
6.1%
Category
Food Service
Food Service
Top-paying state
Nebraska
California

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other median pay.

State
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other
Fast Food and Counter Workers
Hawaii
$43,540
$35,250
Oregon
$39,080
$35,050
Illinois
$38,880
$33,910
District of Columbia
$38,580
$37,430
Arizona
$37,600
$34,230
Maryland
$37,500
$33,660
California
$36,910
$42,280
Connecticut
$36,320
$35,380
New Jersey
$36,290
$34,150
Colorado
$35,710
$36,270
Massachusetts
$35,300
$35,850
Washington
$34,650
$37,710
New York
$34,340
$35,250
Vermont
$32,420
$36,030
Nevada
$31,510
$31,950

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other or Fast Food and Counter Workers?

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other earn more nationally. The median is $35,840 for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other versus $31,200 for Fast Food and Counter Workers, a difference of $5K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other or Fast Food and Counter Workers?

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other has the better 10-year outlook at 6.4% projected growth, compared to 6.1% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other or Fast Food and Counter Workers?

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other typically requires no formal educational credential. Fast Food and Counter Workers requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other get paid the most?

Nebraska is the top-paying state for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other at $46,170/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other vs. Fast Food and Counter Workers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Hawaii, Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other earn $43,540 vs. $35,250 for Fast Food and Counter Workers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other salary breakdownView →Full Fast Food and Counter Workers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Fast Food and Counter Workers by take-home payExplore →How to become a food preparation and serving related workers, all otherGuide →How to become a fast food and counter workersGuide →