Food service and hospitality jobs: postings, pay, and occupations
How many US job postings are in food service and hospitality, what they advertise in pay, and the occupations and industries behind them.
- US job postings
- 342,619
- 10.5% of US postings placed in a field
- Median advertised pay
- $37,856
- Middle 50 percent $32,240 to $43,680
- Share that list pay
- 26.9%
- 92,163 of 342,619 postings
- Fully remote
- 0.2%
- 515 remote postings open to US workers
Figures as of .
Food service and hospitality has 342,619 live US job postings as of November 5, 2026, 10.5% of the US postings we could place in a field. That ranks 3rd of 24 fields.
Its postings that list pay advertise a median of $37,856 a year, with the middle 50 percent from $32,240 to $43,680.
Its largest occupation is cook and chef, with 33.7% of its postings. The industry with the most of its postings is hospitality, food service and leisure, with 77.2%.
Occupations in food service and hospitality
Each occupation's share of the US postings in food service and hospitality, as of November 5, 2026. A posting placed only in a field has no occupation, so the shares can add up to less than the whole field.
| Occupation | Postings | Share of field | Lists pay | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook and chef | 115,329 | 33.7% | 32.9% | $39,520 |
| Server, bartender and host | 71,029 | 20.7% | 20.2% | $34,580 |
| Restaurant manager and shift leader | 67,292 | 19.6% | 27.4% | $43,680 |
| Fast food, counter and barista | 52,117 | 15.2% | 22.1% | $33,280 |
| Dishwasher and kitchen utility | 15,821 | 4.6% | 30.6% | $35,880 |
| Event planner | 8,400 | 2.5% | 29.3% | $56,160 |
| Hotel front desk and concierge | 5,035 | 1.5% | 17.4% | $39,260 |
| Lodging manager | 1,279 | 0.4% | 20.4% | $52,000 |
Specialties in food service and hospitality
The 15 specialties with the most US postings in food service and hospitality, among those with at least 50, each as a share of its occupation's US postings, as of November 5, 2026. Many postings name no specialty.
| Specialty | Occupation | Postings | Share of occupation | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Server | Server, bartender and host | 36,554 | 51.5% | $35,105 |
| Prep cook | Cook and chef | 20,532 | 17.8% | $39,520 |
| Barista | Fast food, counter and barista | 18,740 | 36.0% | $34,840 |
| Line cook | Cook and chef | 18,471 | 16.0% | $39,458 |
| Host | Server, bartender and host | 13,223 | 18.6% | $34,060 |
| Crew member | Fast food, counter and barista | 13,157 | 25.2% | $32,240 |
| Bartender | Server, bartender and host | 11,819 | 16.6% | $35,152 |
| Baking and pastry | Cook and chef | 8,850 | 7.7% | $40,560 |
| Chef and sous chef | Cook and chef | 7,026 | 6.1% | $55,000 |
| Institutional and cafeteria | Cook and chef | 4,772 | 4.1% | $36,400 |
| Catering coordination | Event planner | 2,731 | 32.5% | $46,779 |
| Corporate events and conferences | Event planner | 1,710 | 20.4% | $78,000 |
| Banquet | Server, bartender and host | 753 | 1.1% | Held back |
| Catering | Cook and chef | 749 | 0.6% | $42,432 |
| Weddings and social events | Event planner | 199 | 2.4% | Held back |
Industries hiring for food service and hospitality
The industries with the most US food service and hospitality postings, each as a share of the field's US postings, as of November 5, 2026. Each posting counts in its employer's industry.
| Industry | Postings | Share of field | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospitality, food service and leisure | 264,644 | 77.2% | $36,400 |
| Retail and consumer brands | 42,782 | 12.5% | Held back |
| Healthcare | 11,995 | 3.5% | $39,520 |
| Education | 5,189 | 1.5% | $37,950 |
| Media and entertainment | 3,879 | 1.1% | Held back |
| Social services and nonprofits | 2,059 | 0.6% | $41,683 |
| Wholesale and distribution | 1,907 | 0.6% | $36,348 |
| Facilities and business support | 1,679 | 0.5% | Held back |
| Professional services | 1,413 | 0.4% | $58,250 |
| Manufacturing and consumer goods | 1,220 | 0.4% | $42,120 |
| Transportation and logistics | 1,138 | 0.3% | $38,646 |
| Real estate | 970 | 0.3% | $49,005 |
Advertised pay pages for food service and hospitality
The role families whose jobs are in food service and hospitality, with their advertised pay, as of November 5, 2026.
| Role family | Median | Middle 50 percent | Postings with pay | Employers | Share that list pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food and hospitality | $37,440 | $32,240 to $43,680 | 120,993 | 12,321 | 29.1% |
Questions
- How many US job postings are in food service and hospitality?
- 342,619 live US job postings as of November 5, 2026, 10.5% of the US postings we could place in a field.
- What do food service and hospitality job postings pay?
- The median advertised base pay is $37,856 a year, and the middle 50 percent of postings that list pay run from $32,240 to $43,680. 92,163 of its 342,619 US postings list pay.
- Which food service and hospitality occupations have the most job postings?
- The occupations with the most food service and hospitality postings are cook and chef (33.7%), server, bartender and host (20.7%), and restaurant manager and shift leader (19.6%), each as a share of its US postings.