State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Food Server, Nonrestaurant Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant is $35,360 a year ($17.00/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 3.0% through 2034, with about 48,000 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
SOC 35-3041Food Preparation and Serving RelatedLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $35,360
- Projected growth
- +3.0%
- Openings a year
- 48,000
- Typical education
- No formal credential
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Food Server, Food Service Worker, Kitchen Runner, Room Server, Room Service Server, Tray Server.
How much do Food Servers, Nonrestaurant make?
10th percentile$28,030
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$31,190
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$35,360
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$38,500
Upper quartile
90th percentile$46,120
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $35,360 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $17.00/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $36,140 |
| People employed | 293,900 |
Versus all US occupations
At $35,360, Food Servers, Nonrestaurant earn 31% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $15,620 a year.
Versus food preparation and serving related occupations
The median is typical for the Food Preparation and Serving Related group, where the middle occupation pays $35,275.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $46,120 or more while the bottom 10% earn $28,030, a gap of 1.6×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 3% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
New York posts the highest raw median ($39,370), but once local prices are taken into account North Dakota leads at $41,491 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Food Servers, Nonrestaurant the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $39,370 | $36,480 | 17,520 |
| California | $39,010 | $35,233 | 32,430 |
| Colorado | $38,900 | $37,748 | 7,750 |
| Washington | $38,870 | $36,323 | 8,050 |
| Alaska | $38,090 | $37,212 | 430 |
| District of Columbia | $37,920 | $34,504 | 1,260 |
| Hawaii | $37,920 | $34,488 | 880 |
| Maine | $37,680 | $38,825 | 540 |
| Vermont | $37,540 | $38,323 | 780 |
| North Dakota | $36,910 | $41,491 | 1,630 |
Is Food Server, Nonrestaurant a growing career?
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant3.0%
All US occupations3.1%
+3.0% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Food Servers, Nonrestaurant to change 3.0% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 8,200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 48,000 openings are projected each year, 17.3% of the 277,200 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of food and beverage serving and related workers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of food and beverage serving and related workers varies by occupation (see table).
As a growing population continues to dine out, purchase take-out meals, or have food delivered, more restaurants, particularly fast food and casual dining restaurants, are expected to open. In response, more food and beverage serving and related workers are expected to be needed.
How to become a Food Server, Nonrestaurant
Food and beverage serving and related workers typically have no requirements for education to enter the occupation. They receive short-term on-the-job training.
Most states require workers who serve alcoholic beverages, even as an accompaniment to meals, to be at least 18 years old.
| Typical entry-level education | No formal educational credential |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Little or no preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Short-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as food servers, nonrestaurant.
- High School Diploma48.1%
- Less than a High School Diploma27.1%
- Some College Courses8.6%
- Post-Doctoral Training6.6%
- Bachelor's Degree6.2%
What does a Food Server, Nonrestaurant do?
Serve food to individuals outside of a restaurant environment, such as in hotel rooms, hospital rooms, residential care facilities, or cars.
Food and beverage serving and related workers take and prepare orders, clear tables, and do other tasks associated with providing food and drink to customers.
Day-to-day tasks
- Place food servings on plates or trays according to orders or instructions.
- Load trays with accessories, such as eating utensils, napkins, or condiments.
- Examine trays to ensure that they contain required items.
- Carry food, silverware, or linen on trays or use carts to carry trays.
- Monitor food distribution, ensuring that meals are delivered to the correct recipients and that guidelines, such as those for special diets, are followed.
- Remove trays and stack dishes for return to kitchen after meals are finished.
- Stock service stations with items, such as ice, napkins, or straws.
- Clean or sterilize dishes, kitchen utensils, equipment, or facilities.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Core skills
- Active Listening3.0/5
- Speaking3.0/5
- Reading Comprehension2.9/5
- Critical Thinking2.9/5
- Monitoring2.8/5
- Writing2.0/5
- Mathematics2.0/5
- Active Learning2.0/5
Transferable skills
- Service Orientation3.0/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.9/5
- Coordination2.9/5
- Time Management2.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.8/5
- Management of Personnel Resources2.3/5
- Persuasion2.1/5
- Negotiation2.1/5
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Food Server, Nonrestaurant?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary4.8
Investigative1.5
Artistic2.1
Socialprimary4.2
Enterprising2.9
Conventionalprimary3.9
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with teaching, helping and working directly with other people.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Food Server, Nonrestaurant: frequently asked questions
How much do Food Servers, Nonrestaurant make?
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant earn a median of $35,360 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 31% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $17.00/hr. The middle half earn between $31,190 and $38,500. The top 10% earn $46,120 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Food Server, Nonrestaurant?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 48.1% hold high school diploma.
Is Food Server, Nonrestaurant a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.0% over 2024–2034, about the same as the 3.1% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 48,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Food Server, Nonrestaurant do?
Food and beverage serving and related workers take and prepare orders, clear tables, and do other tasks associated with providing food and drink to customers. A core O*NET task: place food servings on plates or trays according to orders or instructions. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Operating system software.
Which states pay Food Servers, Nonrestaurant the most?
The highest state medians for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant are New York ($39,370), California ($39,010), Colorado ($38,900) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, North Dakota moves to the top at $41,491.
What personality type suits a Food Server, Nonrestaurant?
O*NET scores Food Servers, Nonrestaurant highest on the Realistic, Social and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with teaching, helping and working directly with other people. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISFJ, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.