First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers Salary: $42,010 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 1,187,460 first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers work nationally, and $42,010 is the BLS national median annual wage. Projections imply about 2.4% annual growth; much hiring sits in accommodation and food services.
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers: what the data shows
Common questions about first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers?
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 35-1012.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 1,187,460 workers.
What does a first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Getting Information, Training and Teaching Others, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers make?
BLS national median annual wage: $42,010 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $51,586 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,887 |
| 25th percentile | $40,685 |
| Median (50th) | $47,452 |
| 75th percentile | $58,765 |
| 90th percentile | $73,625 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Speaking, Coordination, Monitoring, Service Orientation, Active Listening, Instructing, and knowledge areas including Customer and Personal Service, Food Production, Production and Processing, Administration and Management. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 2.4% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 12.5%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 26.6%.
Current U.S. headcount: 1,187,460.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workerss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 1,187,460 | 18.7% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 1,139,440 | 17.9% |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 1,010,610 | 15.9% |
| Food Services and Drinking Places | 982,700 | 15.4% |
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places | 909,140 | 14.3% |
| Full-Service Restaurants | 291,090 | 4.6% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Food Preparation Workers | 888,770 | $34,220 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | 89,580 | $34,830 |
| Food Batchmakers | 171,660 | $40,790 |
| Driver/Sales Workers | 417,420 | $37,130 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | 19,500 | $42,730 |
| Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | 27,660 | $40,550 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers workforce.
Employment Over Time
1,187,460 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers grew from 340,400 in 2009 to 496,300 in 2025 (45.8%).
Historical employment for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$42,010 Median pay (BLS national)
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers earn $42,010 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Salary distribution for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Employment Growth Projections
2.4% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
558,364 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 12.5%
628,189 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 26.6%
This occupation is projected to grow at 2.4% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Wage Trends by Industry
2.0% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- TX: 124,310 employees, $40,980 avg wage
- CA: 124,240 employees, $50,160 avg wage
- FL: 86,390 employees, $45,220 avg wage
- NY: 58,340 employees, $51,300 avg wage
- GA: 49,680 employees, $40,850 avg wage
- OH: 48,450 employees, $40,940 avg wage
- IL: 41,690 employees, $43,920 avg wage
- PA: 40,400 employees, $42,680 avg wage
- NC: 38,850 employees, $45,180 avg wage
- MI: 31,900 employees, $42,400 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 53,520 employees, $53,890 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 41,210 employees, $50,670 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 33,970 employees, $43,020 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 31,010 employees, $44,630 avg wage
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 29,410 employees, $42,220 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 29,200 employees, $41,250 avg wage
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 21,920 employees, $46,920 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 18,940 employees, $46,790 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 18,090 employees, $51,980 avg wage
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ: 16,610 employees, $47,210 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Diversity
Demographic information on First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers is about 1,187,460 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers in 2023 were Business Administration, Business, Social Sciences.
Common majors for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers workers.
Education level distribution for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Skills
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers need many skills, but most especially Speaking, Coordination, Monitoring, Service Orientation, Active Listening.
Required skills for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers include Customer and Personal Service, Food Production, Production and Processing, Administration and Management, Personnel and Human Resources.
Knowledge areas required for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers include Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension, Deductive Reasoning, Problem Sensitivity, Speech Recognition.
Required abilities for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
Daily Activities
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers spend their time on activities such as Getting Information, Training and Teaching Others, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events.
Most important work activities for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers.
About
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers earn $42,010 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
35-1012 - First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers reports an average salary of $51,586.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 1,187,460 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 2.4%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.