First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers

Pay and outlook

Median annual wage, May 2025

$44,080

Half earn more, half earn less

Middle half earn

$35,980 – $54,570

25th to 75th percentile

People employed, May 2025

1,223,240

Wage and salary jobs (OEWS)

Projected change, 2025–35

+5.4%

At or above the all-jobs rate (3.5% to under 7%)

Openings a year (projected)

171,500

New jobs plus replacing people who leave

Typical education to enter

High school diploma or equivalent

BLS

• All figures are for the United States as a whole. Pay varies a lot by state and city.
• Wages are for everyone working in the occupation in May 2025, at every career stage. They are not starting salaries or figures for new graduates.
• Growth and openings are BLS projections for 2025–35. They are estimates, not promises. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or change occupation, not just new jobs.

What the work involves

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in preparing and serving food.

Main tasks

• Resolve customer complaints regarding food service.
• Train workers in food preparation, and in service, sanitation, and safety procedures.
• Assign duties, responsibilities, and work stations to employees in accordance with work requirements.
• Present bills and accept payments.
• Perform various financial activities, such as cash handling, deposit preparation, and payroll.
• Supervise and participate in kitchen and dining area cleaning activities.
• Recommend measures for improving work procedures and worker performance to increase service quality and enhance job safety.
• Specify food portions and courses, production and time sequences, and workstation and equipment arrangements.

Description and tasks from the O*NET® 31.0 Database.

Getting in

Typical education to enter (BLS)

High school diploma or equivalent

Work experience in a related job: less than 5 years

O*NET Job Zone 1–2

Little to some preparation

Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Fields of study that lead here

From the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, which links 5 programmes to this occupation. A link means the programme prepares people for this kind of work. It doesn't mean the programme is required, or that it's the only route.

Related careers

Related occupations from the O*NET database, in its order.

• First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services

  $48,560 median · +5.3% projected

• First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers

  $49,100 median · +3.2% projected

• First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers

  $59,320 median · +3.8% projected

• First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers

  $87,520 median · +0.5% projected

• First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers

  $74,450 median · +1.8% projected

• First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers

  $69,500 median · +0.1% projected