What is the typical salary range for a Food Servers, Nonrestaurant?

Pay typically falls between $32,500 and $40,000 per year depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary: $37,500 Average

Home › Food Preparation and Serving › Food Servers, Nonrestaurant

Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET

Average base salary

$37,500 / year

≈ $3,150 per month · $18.03 per hour

LocationOr metro area

25th percentile
$32,500Average
$37,50075th percentile
$40,000

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.

Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary by state

Alabama$30,000

Alaska$39,000

Arizona$38,500

Arkansas$30,000

California$45,000

Colorado$42,500

Connecticut$39,000

Delaware$35,500

District of Columbia$43,000

Florida$35,500

Georgia$34,500

Hawaii$47,500

Idaho$35,000

Illinois$37,000

Indiana$33,500

Iowa$32,000

Kansas$29,500

Kentucky$34,000

Louisiana$27,000

Maine$40,000

Maryland$38,500

Massachusetts$40,000

Michigan$35,000

Minnesota$38,500

Mississippi$28,000

Missouri$34,500

Montana$33,500

Nebraska$34,000

Nevada$39,500

New Hampshire$38,500

New Jersey$38,500

New Mexico$37,500

New York$44,000

North Carolina$34,500

North Dakota$39,500

Ohio$33,500

Oklahoma$31,000

Oregon$40,500

Pennsylvania$35,000

Rhode Island$37,500

South Carolina$32,500

South Dakota$34,000

Tennessee$33,500

Texas$31,000

Utah$33,000

Vermont$42,500

Virginia$37,000

Washington$43,500

West Virginia$31,500

Wisconsin$36,500

Wyoming$33,500

About this role

Food Servers, Nonrestaurant is a professional role within the function in the Food Preparation and Serving job family.

Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Food Servers, Nonrestaurants do

Typical education: High School Diploma

Place food servings on plates or trays according to orders or instructions.
Clean or sterilize dishes, kitchen utensils, equipment, or facilities.
Monitor food distribution, ensuring that meals are delivered to the correct recipients and that guidelines, such as those for special diets, are followed.
Examine trays to ensure that they contain required items.
Load trays with accessories, such as eating utensils, napkins, or condiments.

Top skills: Speaking Service Orientation Active Listening Time Management Social Perceptiveness Reading Comprehension

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).

Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay by experience level

Entry level$29,000

Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)

Early career$32,500

A few years in (about the 25th percentile)

Experienced$36,500

Mid-career median pay

Senior$40,000

Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)

Top earners$47,500

Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)

Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.

Job outlook

+3%

projected change in jobs, 2024–2034

48,000

projected openings per year

Growing about as fast as average

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.

Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary by industry

Nursing and Residential Care Facilities

140,530 workers

$35,500

Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly

78,910 workers

$35,500

Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities)

60,480 workers

$35,500

Hospitals

48,030 workers

$42,500

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals

44,890 workers

$42,500

Food Services and Drinking Places

44,610 workers

$38,000

Hospitals, Privately Owned

41,770 workers

$42,500

Special Food Services

33,210 workers

$39,500

Accommodation

18,500 workers

$38,000

Traveler Accommodation

18,210 workers

$38,000

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.

How this role compares

Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pays 7% below the average across 18 roles in the Food Preparation and Serving job family (family average $40,500).

Similar-paying roles in Food Preparation and Serving

Cooks, Short Order$37,500

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other$38,000

Food Preparation Worker$36,500

Dishwasher$35,500

Cooks, Restaurant$40,000

Cooks, All Other$40,500

Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$34,000

Cooks, Fast Food$33,500

Waiters and Waitresses$41,500

Bartender$42,000

Careers related to Food Servers, Nonrestaurant

Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$35,500

Barista$33,500

Food Preparation Worker$36,500

Waiters and Waitresses$41,500

Cooks, Short Order$37,500

Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$34,000

Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Food Servers, Nonrestaurant make?

The average base salary for a Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in the United States is $37,500 per year, or about $18.03 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $32,500 and $40,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Food Preparation and Serving roles?

The Food Preparation and Serving job family averages $40,500 across 18 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
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