Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$29,940
- 25th Percentile — Junior$35,980
- 50th Percentile — Median$44,080
- 75th Percentile — Senior$54,570
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$65,570
The top 10% of First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation earn $65,570 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $29,940, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
What First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation Do
Role, training and entry requirements
First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers direct the cooks, servers, and counter staff in restaurants, cafeterias, and other food service operations. They schedule shifts, train workers, enforce food-safety rules, and handle customer issues.
How to become one
Most are promoted from front-line food service jobs after gaining experience. A food-safety manager certification is commonly required.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $61,990 | +34.2% |
| District of Columbia | $57,770 | +25.1% |
| Connecticut | $55,720 | +20.7% |
| Hawaii | $54,400 | +17.8% |
| Rhode Island | $53,800 | +16.5% |
| Colorado | $53,710 | +16.3% |
| New Hampshire | $52,910 | +14.6% |
| California | $52,810 | +14.4% |
| Massachusetts | $52,600 | +13.9% |
| New Jersey | $52,400 | +13.5% |
| Vermont | $52,200 | +13.0% |
| Delaware | $52,160 | +12.9% |
| Maine | $50,620 | +9.6% |
| New York | $50,590 | +9.5% |
| Oregon | $50,370 | +9.1% |
| Alaska | $49,560 | +7.3% |
| Minnesota | $47,840 | +3.6% |
| Nevada | $46,880 | +1.5% |
| Virginia | $46,810 | +1.4% |
| Florida | $46,600 | +0.9% |
| North Carolina | $46,550 | +0.8% |
| Maryland | $46,460 | +0.6% |
| Indiana | $46,380 | +0.4% |
| Arizona | $46,350 | +0.4% |
| Montana | $46,280 | +0.2% |
| Illinois | $45,710 | -1.0% |
| North Dakota | $45,290 | -1.9% |
| Tennessee | $44,720 | -3.2% |
| Pennsylvania | $44,550 | -3.5% |
| Utah | $44,110 | -4.5% |
| New Mexico | $43,660 | -5.5% |
| Wisconsin | $43,660 | -5.5% |
| Missouri | $43,250 | -6.3% |
| South Carolina | $43,030 | -6.8% |
| Kansas | $42,630 | -7.7% |
| Wyoming | $42,620 | -7.7% |
| South Dakota | $42,530 | -7.9% |
| Georgia | $42,510 | -7.9% |
| Idaho | $42,400 | -8.2% |
| Iowa | $42,360 | -8.3% |
| Nebraska | $42,170 | -8.7% |
| Michigan | $42,050 | -8.9% |
| Ohio | $41,680 | -9.7% |
| Texas | $41,100 | -11.0% |
| Alabama | $40,620 | -12.0% |
| Louisiana | $39,360 | -14.8% |
| Kentucky | $39,320 | -14.9% |
| Mississippi | $39,180 | -15.2% |
| Oklahoma | $38,000 | -17.7% |
| Arkansas | $36,730 | -20.5% |
| West Virginia | $35,830 | -22.4% |
What Factors Affect First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Washington pays an average of $61,990, while West Virginia pays $35,830 — a gap of $26,160 per year.
Supervisors in hospitals, schools, hotels, and corporate cafeterias often earn more than those in fast food. Pay also rises with the size and sales volume of the operation.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Cooks Fast Food $32,390/yr United States 29.9% vs this role
- Cooks Institution and Cafeteria $38,810/yr United States 16.0% vs this role
- Cooks Restaurant $38,730/yr United States 16.1% vs this role
- Bartenders $40,790/yr United States 11.7% vs this role
- Fast Food and Counter Workers $32,150/yr United States 30.4% vs this role
- Waiters and Waitresses $40,060/yr United States 13.3% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +119.6% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +197.3% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation?
The average salary for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation in the United States is $46,180 per year, with a median of $44,080.
What is the starting salary for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation?
Entry-level First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation typically earn between $29,940 and $35,980 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation the most?
Washington pays First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation the most at $61,990 per year on average, followed by District of Columbia ($57,770) and Connecticut ($55,720).
How much do First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $46,180, First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation earn approximately $22.2 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 1,223,240 First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $46,180 and a median of $44,080 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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