Food Jobs & Pay in New York
About 783,000 people in New York 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 | 168,620 | $35,250 | $32,240 – $44,740 | $31,200 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 142,940 | $47,020 | $33,540 – $83,210 | $35,230 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 71,530 | $43,680 | $34,490 – $54,240 | $37,390 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 65,580 | $47,190 | $36,570 – $73,020 | $44,080 |
| Food Preparation Workers | 62,380 | $35,610 | $33,280 – $46,800 | $35,320 |
| Bartenders | 43,130 | $61,210 | $33,640 – $93,530 | $34,340 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | 41,340 | $36,740 | $33,040 – $59,080 | $33,980 |
| Dishwashers | 30,680 | $35,450 | $32,240 – $45,520 | $34,810 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | 18,640 | $36,490 | $32,910 – $53,060 | $31,200 |
| Cooks, Short Order | 18,300 | $35,550 | $32,240 – $46,550 | $35,880 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 17,670 | $45,880 | $36,280 – $59,620 | $37,450 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | 17,520 | $39,370 | $33,110 – $52,630 | $35,360 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | 17,430 | $70,670 | $46,260 – $120,370 | $62,470 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 11,710 | $35,770 | $32,770 – $40,250 | $30,890 |
| Cooks, All Other | 1,090 | $43,000 | $36,430 – $57,760 | $37,690 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | 380 | $34,340 | $33,040 – $56,950 | $35,840 |
| Cooks, Private Household | 140 | $37,440 | $36,310 – $42,860 | $47,940 |
Food processing
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakers | 15,130 | $38,660 | $34,670 – $53,960 | $37,160 |
| Food Batchmakers | 8,460 | $38,470 | $33,040 – $53,560 | $42,290 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | 4,540 | $47,080 | $35,980 – $66,580 | $40,140 |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | 2,420 | $37,330 | $32,740 – $52,040 | $38,300 |
| Slaughterers and Meat Packers | 1,750 | $33,880 | $32,240 – $59,110 | $40,130 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | 1,370 | $49,020 | $35,690 – $61,150 | $44,810 |
| Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | 1,300 | $45,680 | $36,300 – $60,250 | $41,590 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | 400 | $42,920 | $39,010 – $53,640 | $39,680 |
Farm & field
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 2,760 | $40,930 | $33,950 – $48,570 | $35,660 |
| Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals | 530 | $34,860 | $32,240 – $50,770 | $36,670 |
| Agricultural Inspectors | 340 | $73,920 | $44,030 – $95,570 | $49,940 |
| Animal Breeders | 140 | $48,350 | $41,360 – $73,660 | $51,130 |
| Agricultural Equipment Operators | — | $50,020 | $40,700 – $76,940 | $41,730 |
Science & nutrition
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | 5,330 | $82,480 | $62,100 – $105,830 | $76,400 |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | 660 | $94,070 | $58,740 – $137,570 | $88,720 |
| Food Science Technicians | 580 | $55,470 | $44,270 – $75,080 | $52,130 |
Management
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Service Managers | 8,000 | $84,200 | $62,420 – $143,180 | $69,390 |
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers | 130 | $89,370 | $51,020 – $156,210 | $89,900 |
| Farm and Home Management Educators | 80 | $48,860 | $35,380 – $76,010 | $60,220 |
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.