DOL Filings vs BLS Survey
What Employers File with DOL
This figure comes from 2,536 employer filings with the US Department of Labor under legal obligation. Employers file this salary when sponsoring workers for PERM green cards or H-1B visas.
What BLS Says the Market Pays
This figure comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey of 888,770 establishments. This is an independent survey-based estimate of what all workers in this occupation earn.
Salary Distribution
Top Paying Employers for Food Preparation Workers
Ranked by median salary from DOL filingsSalary by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Median | vs National | Filings | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City, UT | $35,000 | +62% | 12 | 3 |
| Rohnert Park, CA | $31,200 | +44.4% | 26 | 2 |
| Hyannis, MA | $28,725 | +33% | 10 | 5 |
| Cape Coral, FL | $25,000 | +15.7% | 20 | 1 |
| Miami Beach, FL | $22,984 | +6.4% | 50 | 1 |
| Tampa, FL | $22,880 | +5.9% | 52 | 3 |
| Riverview, FL | $22,880 | +5.9% | 23 | 1 |
| St. Augustine, FL | $21,216 | -1.8% | 10 | 1 |
| Lakeland, FL | $19,552 | -9.5% | 17 | 1 |
| Norcross, GA | $17,000 | -21.3% | 10 | 1 |
| Duluth, GA | $17,000 | -21.3% | 11 | 3 |
Salary by State
| State | Median | vs National | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | $31,970 | -2.6% | 5 |
| Delaware | $31,200 | -6.3% | 3 |
| Utah | $29,000 | -9.6% | 19 |
| Colorado | $27,040 | -30.1% | 11 |
| California | $26,770 | -29.8% | 129 |
| Wisconsin | $25,219 | -23.1% | 4 |
| Washington | $25,080 | -35.6% | 12 |
| Arkansas | $24,000 | -12.2% | 15 |
| Nebraska | $23,837 | -26.5% | 46 |
| Massachusetts | $23,566 | -37.6% | 89 |
| Pennsylvania | $22,901 | -24% | 1 |
| Florida | $22,880 | -35% | 207 |
| New York | $21,840 | -39.4% | 5 |
| Ohio | $21,382 | -32.3% | 5 |
| Oregon | $21,000 | -42.3% | 3 |
| Alabama | $20,800 | -18.5% | 9 |
| Hawaii | $20,800 | -44.2% | 1 |
| New Jersey | $18,720 | -46.4% | 3 |
| Illinois | $18,429 | -46.1% | 23 |
| Virginia | $18,408 | -41.6% | 32 |
| District of Columbia | $18,408 | -52.1% | 7 |
| Maryland | $17,930 | -47.7% | 12 |
| Oklahoma | $17,597 | -33.5% | 8 |
| New Mexico | $17,118 | -41.7% | 1 |
| Georgia | $17,000 | -48.3% | 32 |
| Texas | $17,000 | -40.7% | 28 |
| Louisiana | $16,973 | -25.9% | 1 |
| North Carolina | $16,827 | -42.8% | 8 |
Salary Trend - DOL Data
Education Requirements
From PERM filingsFor Food Preparation Workers positions, 0% of PERM filings required a Bachelor's degree, 0% required a Master's degree, and 100% required no formal degree.
Education by Top Employer
Most common minimum education from PERM filings| Employer | Most Common Education | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Harrys of America | None | $19,552 |
| MAC Pizza Management, Inc. | None | $18,720 |
| Shrimp Basket Restaurants, LLC | None | $20,800 |
| INTEGRATED SUPPORT SOLUTIONS, INC. | None | $23,483 |
| Sobys LLC | None | $20,800 |
| Bull Island Company, LLC | None | $33,280 |
| FH Miami Operations LLC | None | $22,984 |
| Big Splash Restaurant Group, LLC | Not specified | N/A |
| B and R Food Service, Inc | Not specified | N/A |
| Boathouse Sushi Inc. | None | $31,200 |
Salary by Industry
Same occupation, different industries (NAICS)The highest-paying industry for Food Preparation Workers is Retail Trade at $24,994. The lowest-paying industry with significant hiring is Accommodation and Food Services at $23,904.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on 2,536 DOL filings, the median salary for a Food Preparation Workers is $21,600, ranging from $18,720 to $25,000.
The 90th percentile salary is $44,260 according to BLS data.
Based on DOL filings, Salt Lake City, UT offers the highest median at $35,000.
DOL filing data covers positions where the employer filed for PERM green card sponsorship or an H-1B visa. These filings represent a subset of all Food Preparation Workers positions. We compare this data against BLS OEWS data which covers all workers in this occupation.
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