Win· Before you ask
How much do first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers make?
- Median
- $44,080/year
- Mean
- $46,180/year
Not one number. Five.
What first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers in the U.S. earn, from low to high.
Best-paying cities.
The same job pays more in some places.
- 1Seattle, WA$62k
- 2San Jose, CA$56k
- 3Denver, CO$53k
- 4Miami, FL$46k
- 5Chicago, IL$43k
- 6Phoenix, AZ$42k
- 7Austin, TX$41k
- 8Pittsburgh, PA$41k
- 9Atlanta, GA$39k
- 10Kansas City, MO$39k
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First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers wage guide
Use the published range, job count, place pattern, and survey limits as separate facts. The guide stays tied to SOC 35-1012 and the May 2025 BLS release.
What the national First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median says
The May 2025 BLS OEWS estimate puts the U.S. median for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers at $44,080 per year. Median means the middle. Half of the wage values used for this estimate fall below that point. Half fall above it. The median is not one worker's pay. It is not a job offer. It is one clear mark for the middle of a broad national pay range.
BLS also lists 1,223,240 wage and salary jobs for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers. That count covers jobs in the survey's scope. It does not count open job ads. It also leaves out people who work for themselves. The wage and job counts share the same May 2025 reference point, so they can be read together without mixing time periods.
The First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers mean of $46,180 per year is 4.8% above the $44,080 median on the same published median. Mean means BLS adds the wage values and divides the total by the number of jobs behind the estimate. A gap between mean and median shows that the shape is not even. It does not explain the cause of the gap.
The fields that make SOC 35-1012 its own page
BLS names this record First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers and gives it SOC 35-1012. The two-part code is the stable key for this page. A role with a close name keeps a different code, wage row, job count, and area pattern. WageScope never joins two SOC records because their words sound alike.
For SOC 35-1012, the U.S. row reports 1,223,240 wage and salary jobs. Its annual median is $44,080 per year. Its matching mean is $46,180 per year. These facts come from one national row and one May 2025 release.
SOC 35-1012 appears in 54 state or territory rows. It also has 393 metro rows and 137 nonmetro rows. A missing local row stays missing. We do not fill it with U.S. data or data for a similar job code.
- SOC 35-1012 10th percentile: $29,940 per year.
- SOC 35-1012 25th percentile: $35,980 per year.
- SOC 35-1012 median: $44,080 per year.
- SOC 35-1012 75th percentile: $54,570 per year.
- SOC 35-1012 90th percentile: $65,570 per year.
- SOC 35-1012 employment RSE: 0.9%. Mean-wage RSE: 0.4%.
- SOC 35-1012 has no national suppression mark in the fields shown on this page.
Read the First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers wage ladder from low to high
The 10th percentile is $29,940 per year. The 25th percentile is $35,980 per year. The median is $44,080 per year. The 75th percentile is $54,570 per year. The 90th percentile is $65,570 per year. Each point marks a place in the same national wage spread.
A percentile is a rank point. It is not a career step. For example, the 10th percentile means 10% of wage values are at or below that mark. It does not mean a new worker starts there. The 90th percentile means 90% are at or below that mark. It does not mean a worker can reach it after a set number of years.
The middle half runs from $35,980 to $54,570 per year. That span is $18,590. The full 10th-to-90th span is $35,630. These spans show why one median cannot stand in for every First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers job.
What the gaps around the First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median show
The median is 47.2% above the 10th percentile. The 90th percentile is 48.8% above the median. The two sides do not have to match. A wider upper side can pull the mean up. A wider lower side can pull it down. The data shows the shape, but not the reason for that shape.
The 25th-to-median step is $8,100 per year. The median-to-75th step is $10,490 per year. These two steps give a closer look at the middle half. They are often more useful than a single top-to-bottom gap because they keep the center in view.
Use this ladder as a fact check when you read a job post. A posted range can sit below, near, or above these BLS marks. That does not make the post wrong. A job may differ by place, hours, level, field, employer, or work rules. Keep the posted range tied to that listing. Keep the BLS range tied to the whole occupation.
Metro areas with the highest published First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers medians
WageScope found 393 metro rows with the same published annual median for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers. It sorts only those rows. It does not fill a blank row. It does not turn a blank into zero. The first six rows below have the highest published medians in this release. The list is a wage rank, not a rank of places to live or work.
The first row is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, at $61,610 per year. The middle metro row by published pay is Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL, at $39,090 per year. That middle metro mark gives one more check on how far the top rows sit from a common place in the set.
These are nominal wages. Nominal means the dollar amount shown in the source. This list does not adjust for local price levels. It also does not tell us how many openings an area has now. Use a local page to see price-level context when an exact BEA row exists. Use the separate job block to inspect current employer-title matches.
- 1. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA has a First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median of $61,610 per year, or $17,530 above the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. BLS lists 12,090 jobs there, against 1,223,240 across the U.S. The local location quotient is 0.74.
- 2. Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA has a First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median of $58,740 per year, or $14,660 above the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. BLS lists 610 jobs there, against 1,223,240 across the U.S. The local location quotient is 0.83.
- 3. Bellingham, WA has a First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median of $58,520 per year, or $14,440 above the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. BLS lists 600 jobs there, against 1,223,240 across the U.S. The local location quotient is 0.84.
- 4. Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT has a First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median of $58,260 per year, or $14,180 above the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. BLS lists 2,720 jobs there, against 1,223,240 across the U.S. The local location quotient is 0.86.
- 5. Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA has a First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median of $57,870 per year, or $13,790 above the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. BLS lists 340 jobs there, against 1,223,240 across the U.S. The local location quotient is 0.83.
- 6. Walla Walla, WA has a First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median of $57,470 per year, or $13,390 above the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. BLS lists 140 jobs there, against 1,223,240 across the U.S. The local location quotient is 0.71.
Metro areas with the largest First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers job estimates
A large wage can appear in a small job market. A large job market can have a lower wage. That is why WageScope keeps pay and job count in separate views. The six rows below have the largest published employment estimates for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers among metro rows in this release. Employment means the number of wage and salary jobs in scope. It does not mean open roles.
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ has the largest listed metro estimate in this set, at 61,060 jobs. Its median is $48,690 per year. Compare that with Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, which leads the published median list. The leaders may match, or they may not. Each list answers a different question.
Job count can help you see the scale of a local labor market. It cannot show churn, new hiring, job quality, remote work, or the chance that one person will get hired. Current listings add a second view, but they are a dated sample of posts. WageScope never turns the listing count into a demand score.
- 1. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ has 61,060 estimated First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers jobs. That is 5.0% of the U.S. estimate of 1,223,240 jobs. Its median is $48,690 per year, or $4,610 above the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. Its location quotient is 0.82.
- 2. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA has 41,640 estimated First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers jobs. That is 3.4% of the U.S. estimate of 1,223,240 jobs. Its median is $46,970 per year, or $2,890 above the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. Its location quotient is 0.84.
- 3. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX has 39,780 estimated First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers jobs. That is 3.3% of the U.S. estimate of 1,223,240 jobs. Its median is $37,730 per year, or $6,350 below the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. Its location quotient is 1.25.
- 4. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX has 31,290 estimated First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers jobs. That is 2.6% of the U.S. estimate of 1,223,240 jobs. Its median is $36,410 per year, or $7,670 below the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. Its location quotient is 1.21.
- 5. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN has 30,180 estimated First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers jobs. That is 2.5% of the U.S. estimate of 1,223,240 jobs. Its median is $42,650 per year, or $1,430 below the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. Its location quotient is 0.85.
- 6. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA has 28,580 estimated First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers jobs. That is 2.3% of the U.S. estimate of 1,223,240 jobs. Its median is $39,240 per year, or $4,840 below the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. Its location quotient is 1.26.
Where First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers has a larger share of local jobs
Location quotient is a share check. A value of 1 means the role has the same share of local jobs as it has across the nation. A value above 1 means the local share is larger. A value below 1 means the local share is smaller. It is not a count. It is not a wage. It does not say that a place is growing.
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC has the highest published location quotient in this bounded metro set, at 1.9. The same row lists 2,190 jobs and a median of $39,080 per year. Reading all three values keeps a high share from being mistaken for a large market or high pay.
A small area can have a high location quotient because the role makes up a large part of a small local job base. A large area can have many workers and a lower quotient. Use the quotient to ask where the role is common in the mix. Use employment to ask how many jobs BLS estimated. Use the wage fields to ask what the published pay range looks like.
- 1. Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC has a First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers location quotient of 1.9. BLS lists 2,190 jobs and a median of $39,080 per year, or $5,000 below the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. The U.S. job estimate is 1,223,240.
- 2. Eagle Pass, TX has a First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers location quotient of 1.89. BLS lists 280 jobs and a median of $34,350 per year, or $9,730 below the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. The U.S. job estimate is 1,223,240.
- 3. Hinesville, GA has a First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers location quotient of 1.89. BLS lists 300 jobs and a median of $35,440 per year, or $8,640 below the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. The U.S. job estimate is 1,223,240.
- 4. Jacksonville, NC has a First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers location quotient of 1.88. BLS lists 780 jobs and a median of $37,580 per year, or $6,500 below the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. The U.S. job estimate is 1,223,240.
- 5. Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL has a First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers location quotient of 1.87. BLS lists 1,280 jobs and a median of $38,050 per year, or $6,030 below the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. The U.S. job estimate is 1,223,240.
- 6. Brunswick-St. Simons, GA has a First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers location quotient of 1.71. BLS lists 630 jobs and a median of $37,400 per year, or $6,680 below the U.S. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median. The U.S. job estimate is 1,223,240.
How First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers sits in Food Preparation and Serving Related
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers is SOC 35-1012. BLS places it in the Food Preparation and Serving Related major group. Among 17 detailed roles in that group with a published annual median, First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers ranks 3 of 17 by median. This is a pay rank inside one source family. It is not a rank of skill, value, status, or career fit.
The closest same-family medians help set a fair peer frame. They do not claim that the work is the same. Official SOC titles can cover different tasks and settings. WageScope uses the family only because BLS publishes that link. It does not infer a career move, a skill match, or a hiring path from the wage gap.
Use these peer rows to spot whether the $44,080 median sits near many family roles or far from them. Then open a role's own page before using its number. Each role has a different code, job count, wage spread, and place pattern. One family label does not erase those facts.
- 1. Cooks, Private Household, SOC 35-2013, has a U.S. median of $47,940 per year. Its gap from First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers is $3,860 per year.
- 2. Cooks, All Other, SOC 35-2019, has a U.S. median of $37,690 per year. Its gap from First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers is $6,390 per year.
- 3. Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria, SOC 35-2012, has a U.S. median of $37,450 per year. Its gap from First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers is $6,630 per year.
- 4. Cooks, Restaurant, SOC 35-2014, has a U.S. median of $37,390 per year. Its gap from First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers is $6,690 per year.
- 5. Cooks, Short Order, SOC 35-2015, has a U.S. median of $35,880 per year. Its gap from First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers is $8,200 per year.
- 6. Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other, SOC 35-9099, has a U.S. median of $35,840 per year. Its gap from First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers is $8,240 per year.
How much care to use with the First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers estimate
The relative standard error for the job count is 0.9%. For the mean wage it is 0.4%. This measure, called RSE, shows survey precision. A smaller RSE often means less uncertainty from the sample. It does not tell you whether one person's pay is right or wrong.
The employment RSE applies to the 1,223,240 job estimate. The mean-wage RSE applies to the published mean of $46,180 per year. These fields do not give a matching RSE for the median or each percentile. WageScope shows the fields BLS published and does not move one RSE to another measure.
Survey values can change when BLS changes its methods, sample, models, or source year. That is why we show May 2025 on this page. Before we use a new release, we check its files, rows, and pages. A changed number is only a correction if the source calls it one.
A simple way to compare First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers across places
First, compare the same wage metric. Use annual with annual or hourly with hourly. Next, check the source date. Keep May 2025 BLS rows together. Then read employment and location quotient beside pay. This stops a high median from standing in for market size or local share. Last, add BEA price-level context only when the exact place has an approved row.
A state, metro, and nonmetro area are not the same kind of map. Do not rank them in one list without saying so. WageScope groups like with like. It also keeps a national row as a broad bench mark. A local page can show the local row, its state row when that link is exact, and the U.S. row without blending them.
If a value is blank, keep it blank. If BLS marks a top code, read it as a lower bound. Do not fill a blank from a nearby place. Do not turn a wage gap into a claim about taxes, hours, benefits, work rules, or a household budget. Those facts are not in the OEWS row.
Move from First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers wage data to one real listing
The job block on this page uses a strict employer-title match for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers. It may show fewer rows than the full MeritLog job search. That is on purpose. A false negative is safer here than a job card for a different role. Each card keeps its employer, place, source, and seen date. The cards do not change the BLS wage data.
Open one listing and read its own pay, work place, level, and needs. Compare its posted range with the BLS spread only as context. A posted range is set by an employer for one role. The BLS range is a survey view across many jobs. Neither source proves that a person is fit for the work.
When you tailor a résumé, use work facts you can back up. Do not turn $44,080 into a skill or result. Do not copy a BLS job count into your work history. MeritLog can help shape confirmed experience for a chosen listing. The wage page stays public and read only. It does not save a job or create a résumé on page load.
What this First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers page does not claim
This page does not say what one First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers worker earns. It does not promise that a job pays the median. It does not state a starting wage. It does not explain why the mean and median differ. It does not add benefits, tips, stock, bonus pay, taxes, or work hours unless BLS includes them in the published wage measure.
The page does not count people who work for themselves. It does not turn 1,223,240 into current openings. It does not read private MeritLog jobs or Career Memory. MeritLog does not use the page to build a private career profile. While public analytics are on, GA4, Ahrefs, and Meta may get this page's URL. Use Your Privacy Choices or Global Privacy Control to turn that off. The page does not send its text to a model.
The best use is narrow and clear. Read the May 2025 BLS wage range. Check how the role changes by place. Add the separate 2024 BEA price level when an exact row exists. Inspect a dated employer-title match. Then make a résumé choice from facts you have confirmed. Keep each source tied to the question it can answer.