Food Service Managers Salary
Food Service Managers in Chattanooga, TN-GA make a median of $63,720 a year, or about $30.64 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $69,670 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,390/month, about 31.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $64K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.46). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About food service managers
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What this looks like in Chattanooga
Food service managers pay in Chattanooga tracks closely to the national median, $64K locally vs. $69K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $1,390/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food service managers in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $70K | $73K |
| Memphis | $65K | $70K |
| Knoxville | $64K | $69K |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $62K | $71K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level food service managers (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $59K spread from bottom to top.
Food Service Managers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Food Service Managers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $95K | +37% | 1,180 |
| Massachusetts | $92K | +33% | 4,310 |
| Hawaii | $88K | +27% | 1,230 |
| New York | $84K | +21% | 8,000 |
| Rhode Island | $83K | +19% | 760 |
| Alaska | $82K | +18% | 380 |
| District of Columbia | $82K | +18% | 1,000 |
| Colorado | $80K | +15% | 2,440 |
| Minnesota | $80K | +15% | 730 |
| California | $78K | +13% | 33,180 |
| New Jersey | $78K | +12% | 6,360 |
| Connecticut | $78K | +12% | 1,520 |
| Vermont | $78K | +12% | 500 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | +11% | 590 |
| Delaware | $74K | +7% | 770 |
| North Carolina | $74K | +7% | 9,420 |
| Maryland | $73K | +5% | N/A |
| Florida | $73K | +5% | 18,500 |
| North Dakota | $72K | +4% | 950 |
| Montana | $72K | +4% | 950 |
| Indiana | $71K | +3% | 4,990 |
| Virginia | $71K | +3% | 3,820 |
| Maine | $71K | +2% | 1,210 |
| Kentucky | $70K | +1% | 1,680 |
| Kansas | $70K | +1% | 1,540 |
| Arizona | $70K | +1% | 3,400 |
| Idaho | $70K | +1% | 670 |
| Utah | $69K | +0% | 2,400 |
| Iowa | $67K | -4% | 1,760 |
| South Carolina | $66K | -5% | 5,080 |
| Missouri | $66K | -6% | 1,600 |
| Nevada | $65K | -6% | 4,310 |
| Georgia | $65K | -6% | 9,230 |
| New Mexico | $65K | -6% | 1,410 |
| Pennsylvania | $65K | -7% | 10,530 |
| Tennessee | $64K | -7% | 4,550 |
| Illinois | $64K | -8% | 11,270 |
| Oklahoma | $64K | -8% | 2,020 |
| Alabama | $63K | -9% | 4,330 |
| Ohio | $63K | -9% | 8,570 |
| Wyoming | $63K | -10% | 590 |
| Oregon | $62K | -10% | 4,420 |
| Wisconsin | $62K | -11% | 6,000 |
| Louisiana | $61K | -12% | 1,950 |
| Michigan | $61K | -12% | 9,240 |
| Texas | $61K | -12% | 25,990 |
| South Dakota | $61K | -13% | 1,270 |
| Nebraska | $60K | -13% | 2,050 |
| Mississippi | $60K | -14% | 1,920 |
| Arkansas | $55K | -21% | 2,720 |
| West Virginia | $55K | -21% | 1,230 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track food service managers salary changes
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Related careers in Management
Frequently asked questions
Can a food service manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 31.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for food service managers in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food service managers typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,507/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 55% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is food service manager a high-paying job in Chattanooga?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $64K locally vs. $69K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for food service managers?
Chattanooga pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $69K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food service managers make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $63,720 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,790, and experienced food service managers can clear $100,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,434/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 31.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a food service managers salary go in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 91.46 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median food service managers salary is worth about $69,670 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do food service managers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.