Food Jobs & Pay in Arkansas
About 139,130 people in Arkansas work in food-related jobs. Median pay by occupation, with the national median in the last column.
Restaurants & service
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 35,660 | $26,250 | $23,240 – $32,120 | $31,200 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 17,880 | $24,680 | $23,040 – $43,810 | $35,230 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 11,270 | $30,180 | $26,020 – $37,140 | $37,390 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 11,200 | $33,800 | $27,820 – $50,580 | $44,080 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 7,860 | $27,710 | $23,770 – $32,720 | $30,890 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 6,530 | $30,240 | $25,810 – $39,720 | $37,450 |
| Food Preparation Workers | 5,500 | $27,660 | $24,020 – $36,260 | $35,320 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | 3,540 | $27,600 | $23,920 – $34,430 | $35,360 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | 3,110 | $26,760 | $23,460 – $33,560 | $31,200 |
| Bartenders | 3,020 | $25,090 | $22,880 – $56,830 | $34,340 |
| Dishwashers | 2,630 | $27,540 | $23,830 – $35,030 | $34,810 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | 2,160 | $27,670 | $24,230 – $37,150 | $33,980 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | 880 | $46,170 | $33,500 – $87,730 | $62,470 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | 430 | $31,660 | $25,410 – $61,520 | $35,840 |
| Cooks, Short Order | 160 | $30,510 | $26,000 – $37,140 | $35,880 |
| Cooks, All Other | 90 | $30,780 | $27,050 – $55,450 | $37,690 |
Food processing
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | 9,030 | $37,980 | $33,470 – $44,540 | $38,300 |
| Bakers | 2,400 | $30,380 | $24,670 – $37,810 | $37,160 |
| Slaughterers and Meat Packers | 2,140 | $37,800 | $33,870 – $43,700 | $40,130 |
| Food Batchmakers | 2,120 | $38,990 | $31,290 – $48,880 | $42,290 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | 1,770 | $37,840 | $34,730 – $47,190 | $39,680 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | 1,290 | $34,380 | $24,920 – $45,100 | $40,140 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | 580 | $45,080 | $37,270 – $49,960 | $44,810 |
| Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | 330 | $40,480 | $34,660 – $48,930 | $41,590 |
Farm & field
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products | 1,650 | $35,310 | $32,750 – $38,190 | $35,730 |
| Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals | 460 | $29,340 | $23,700 – $50,640 | $36,670 |
| Agricultural Inspectors | 410 | $42,060 | $37,490 – $48,810 | $49,940 |
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 390 | $32,970 | $24,160 – $39,540 | $35,660 |
| Agricultural Equipment Operators | 350 | $32,060 | $28,760 – $45,090 | $41,730 |
| Agricultural Workers, All Other | 220 | $33,490 | $29,830 – $55,900 | $39,850 |
Science & nutrition
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | 650 | $65,540 | $44,700 – $174,060 | $76,400 |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | 310 | $84,330 | $49,120 – $165,790 | $88,720 |
| Food Science Technicians | 140 | $46,810 | $42,600 – $69,120 | $52,130 |
Management
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Service Managers | 2,720 | $55,120 | $37,690 – $79,300 | $69,390 |
| Farm and Home Management Educators | 200 | $49,640 | $36,990 – $72,100 | $60,220 |
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers | 50 | $63,920 | $36,760 – $136,730 | $89,900 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, most recent annual estimate. Some occupations are suppressed in smaller states and are omitted. Median pay is the middle of the wage distribution; employment counts exclude the self-employed. Labour-market data, not job listings.