Food Preparation and Serving Related salary guide 2026
A focused set of 8 widely recognized jobs in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ food preparation and serving related occupations group. A role inside a combined BLS occupation is labelled as combined data rather than presented as a role-only estimate. Open a direct occupation for a separately labelled 2026 trend estimate only when the post-2020 history contains at least 4 consecutive exact annual medians and the latest BLS employment estimate is at least 1,000. Take home estimates assume a single filer before state and local income taxes.
| Occupation | An hour | Median | Federal take home |
|---|---|---|---|
Chef35-1011 | $30.03 | $62,470 | $52,369 |
Line Cook35-2014 | $17.98 | $37,390 | $32,230 |
Prep Cook35-2021 | $16.98 | $35,320 | $30,558 |
Server35-3031 | $16.94 | $35,230 | $30,491 |
Dishwasher35-9021 | $16.74 | $34,810 | $30,157 |
Bartender35-3011 | $16.51 | $34,340 | $29,773 |
Barista35-3023 | $15.00 | $31,200 | $27,249 |
Host35-9031 | $15.00 | $31,200 | $27,249 |
Wages are BLS medians. Take home is an estimate calculated here from federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; choose an occupation to calculate a specific state.