Food and beverage serving and related workers
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Food and beverage serving and related workers in the United States earn a median salary of $35,230 per year — about $17 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 5.0M people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +5%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core of this occupation involves physical labor, such as clearing tables, carrying heavy trays, and cleaning, which are difficult to automate with current robotics. However, AI is increasingly handling digital peripheral tasks like order-taking via kiosks or voice-AI drive-thrus and managing reservations, which reduces the need for human staff in front-of-house roles.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HIBEST VALUE | $82,550 | Above avg (107.2) | $77,011 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $61,620 | Average (100.8) | $61,159 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $56,730 | Average (97.9) | $57,931 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $54,870 | Average (99.3) | $55,251 |
| Bellingham, WA | $56,700 | Above avg (104.0) | $54,513 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $60,250 | Above avg (111.4) | $54,073 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $51,460 | Average (98.9) | $52,040 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $55,270 | Above avg (107.4) | $51,452 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $54,780 | Above avg (106.7) | $51,333 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $57,280 | Above avg (112.7) | $50,811 |
| Binghamton, NY | $46,600 | Below avg (92.1) | $50,603 |
| Yakima, WA | $49,060 | Average (97.9) | $50,111 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $53,060 | Above avg (105.9) | $50,109 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $48,980 | Average (98.2) | $49,889 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $53,000 | Above avg (106.4) | $49,831 |
Education & Requirements
Related Careers
Find Food and beverage serving and related workers Jobs
Search open positions across the US
Search Jobs →