Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
Where you practice this profession shapes your financial life more than experience alone. The national median salary for Food Service Managers in 2026 is $67,215, with entry-level positions averaging $48,395 and senior roles reaching $95,445. But those numbers flatten a reality with enormous geographic variation — Santa Clara pays a median of $125,111, while other markets fall well below the national average. We tracked 288 cities to build the complete picture.
A career as a Food Service Manager sits at the intersection of Management and Leadership & Operations. Most professionals enter with High school + experience, and the field is characterized by steady. The work itself is on-site. Understanding that context matters: it explains why certain markets pay premiums and others lag.
$72,960 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Food Service Manager in Santa Clara, California earns a median of $125,111 — $72,960 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($52,151). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. For early-career professionals, the geographic pay premium is worth the math.
The salary distribution for Food Service Managers reveals a $47,050 spread from entry to senior. At $67,215, the median sits $13,152 below the national median household income of $80,367. Context matters: this is an individual salary, compared against household income. The P10 floor of $48,395 represents early-career or part-time positions, while the $95,445 ceiling captures experienced professionals in premium markets.
Compare the extremes: the highest-paying trio of cities (Santa Clara, Irvine, San Francisco) averages $118,427, while the lowest-paying trio (Toledo, Jackson, Macon) averages $53,433. The $64,994 difference is the kind of number that reshapes career strategy — assuming the cost of living cooperates.
A Food Service Manager in Santa Clara, California earns a median of $125,111 — $72,960 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($52,151). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Food Service Manager is $48,395, while senior-level (P90) earners average $95,445. That $47,050 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.
Hawaii pays the highest average median salary for Food Service Managers at $85,383 across 1 tracked cities. The gap between #1 and #5 (New Hampshire at $70,123) is $15,260.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $48,395 | $67,215 | $95,445 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £30,601 | £42,501 | £60,351 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$41,034 | CA$56,991 | CA$80,928 |
| Australia | 13 | A$49,114 | A$68,213 | A$96,863 |
| Sweden | 24 | 280,269 kr | 389,262 kr | 552,752 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 1 | $61,476 | $85,383 | $121,244 |
| California | 61 | $55,234 | $76,714 | $108,934 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $53,247 | $73,954 | $105,014 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $51,851 | $72,015 | $102,261 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $50,489 | $70,123 | $99,575 |
| Washington | 8 | $49,478 | $68,720 | $97,582 |
| Oregon | 5 | $48,926 | $67,953 | $96,494 |
| Colorado | 11 | $48,668 | $67,594 | $95,984 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $48,642 | $67,558 | $95,932 |
| New York | 5 | $48,409 | $67,235 | $95,473 |
| Illinois | 5 | $48,300 | $67,083 | $95,258 |
| Nevada | 5 | $47,746 | $66,314 | $94,166 |
| Virginia | 7 | $47,719 | $66,276 | $94,112 |
| Idaho | 3 | $47,719 | $66,276 | $94,112 |
| Utah | 4 | $47,322 | $65,724 | $93,328 |
| Florida | 22 | $47,277 | $65,663 | $93,241 |
| Arizona | 12 | $47,231 | $65,598 | $93,149 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $47,174 | $65,519 | $93,037 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $46,629 | $64,763 | $91,963 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $46,311 | $64,321 | $91,336 |
| Michigan | 6 | $46,258 | $64,248 | $91,232 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $46,235 | $64,216 | $91,187 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $46,139 | $64,082 | $90,996 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $45,403 | $63,060 | $89,545 |
| Alaska | 1 | $45,403 | $63,060 | $89,545 |
| Iowa | 2 | $45,403 | $63,060 | $89,545 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $45,403 | $63,060 | $89,545 |
| Montana | 1 | $45,403 | $63,060 | $89,545 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $44,783 | $62,198 | $88,322 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $44,722 | $62,114 | $88,202 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $44,717 | $62,107 | $88,192 |
| Texas | 40 | $44,656 | $62,023 | $88,072 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $44,506 | $61,815 | $87,777 |
| Georgia | 6 | $44,382 | $61,641 | $87,530 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $44,325 | $61,562 | $87,418 |
| Indiana | 3 | $44,207 | $61,399 | $87,187 |
| Alabama | 5 | $43,714 | $60,714 | $86,214 |
| Ohio | 6 | $43,617 | $60,580 | $86,023 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $43,587 | $60,538 | $85,964 |
| Maryland | 1 | $43,542 | $60,475 | $85,874 |
| Missouri | 4 | $43,508 | $60,427 | $85,807 |
| Kansas | 4 | $43,405 | $60,285 | $85,605 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $43,224 | $60,033 | $85,247 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $42,997 | $59,718 | $84,799 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $40,227 | $55,871 | $79,337 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $38,366 | $53,286 | $75,666 |
Geography shapes Food Service Manager pay in predictable and not-so-predictable ways. Hawaii tops the state leaderboard at $85,383 median, with 1 cities providing data. California and Massachusetts follow. On the flip side, Mississippi and Arkansas anchor the bottom — reflecting lower local cost structures and smaller metro premiums.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Santa Clara ($125,111 nominal, 198 cost index) delivers $63,187 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oceanside California | $92,383 | 146 | $63,276 | $57,652 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $125,111 | 198 | $63,187 | $75,831 |
| 3 | Boston Massachusetts | $95,410 | 151 | $63,185 | $63,481 |
| 4 | Huntington Beach California | $106,761 | 169 | $63,172 | $65,729 |
| 5 | Fremont California | $111,805 | 177 | $63,167 | $68,506 |
| 6 | Irvine California | $116,220 | 184 | $63,163 | $70,937 |
| 7 | Bellevue Washington | $106,698 | 169 | $63,135 | $79,886 |
| 8 | Thousand Oaks California | $101,464 | 161 | $63,021 | $62,813 |
| 9 | Los Angeles California | $92,635 | 147 | $63,017 | $57,795 |
| 10 | Anaheim California | $92,005 | 146 | $63,017 | $57,436 |
From a career planning perspective, Food Service Manager offers a $47,050 earning range. The 2.0× progression is steady — not explosive, but reliable. The typical entry requires High school + experience. Day-to-day, expect on-site work environments. With data from 288 cities, the geographic flexibility is substantial — this career travels well.
The weighted national median salary for Food Service Managers is $67,215 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $48,395, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $95,445.
The highest-paying city for Food Service Managers is Santa Clara, California with a median salary of $125,111. The top 3 cities are Santa Clara ($125,111), Irvine ($116,220), San Francisco ($113,949). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Food Service Manager salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $52,151. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Food Service Managers (10th percentile) average $48,395 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $90,080. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Food Service Managers average $95,445 nationally — $47,050 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Food Service Managers can earn up to $177,658.
The top-paying states for Food Service Managers are Hawaii ($85,383 median), California ($76,714 median), Massachusetts ($73,954 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Food Service Manager involves High school + experience. The field is in the Leadership & Operations sector (Management), and the career outlook is steady. Work style is typically on-site.
With a national median of $67,215 and representation across 288 metro areas, Food Service Manager offers a foundation that can be strengthened by strategic location choices. The $47,050 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: steady.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.