Food Handler
Food Handler Salary
$20.5K - $23.5K
1% of jobs
$23.5K - $26.5K
1% of jobs
$26.5K - $29.5K
2% of jobs
$29.5K - $32.5K
8% of jobs
$33.9K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$32.5K - $35.5K
26% of jobs
The median wage is $37.2K / yr.
$35.5K - $38.5K
20% of jobs
$40.5K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$38.5K - $41.5K
25% of jobs
$41.5K - $44.5K
6% of jobs
$44.5K - $47.5K
3% of jobs
$47.5K - $50.5K
2% of jobs
$50.5K - $53.5K
5% of jobs
$20.5K
$36K
$51K
$37,374
/year
$17.97
/hour
Food Handler Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$37,374
Columbus
Ohio
$36,099
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How much does a Food Handler make?
As of Aug 13, 2026, the average annual pay for a Food Handler in the United States is $37,374 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $17.97 an hour. This is the equivalent of $718/week or $3,114/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $51,000 and as low as $20,500, the majority of Food Handler salaries currently range between $33,000 (25th percentile) to $39,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $48,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Food Handler varies little (about 6000), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.
A Food Handler in your area makes on average $36,099 per year, or $1,275 (3.411%) less than the national average annual salary of $37,374. Ohio ranks number 30 out of 50 states nationwide for Food Handler salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Food Handler jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as a Food Handler on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Food Handler Jobs
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Food Handler job is above the national average. Topping the list is Town of Nantucket, MA, , with Berkeley, CA, and Rock River, WY, close behind in the second and third positions. Rock River, WY, beats the national average by $7,975 (21.3%), and Town of Nantucket, MA, furthers that trend with another $8,614 (23.0%) above the $37,374 average.
With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Food Handler appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 4% between Town of Nantucket, MA, and San Jose, CA, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Food Handler role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Town of Nantucket, MA | $45,988 | $22.11 |
Berkeley, CA | $45,762 | $22.00 |
Rock River, WY | $45,349 | $21.80 |
Sitka, AK | $45,023 | $21.65 |
South San Francisco, CA | $44,872 | $21.57 |
Wyoming, WY | $44,573 | $21.43 |
Fremont, CA | $44,289 | $21.29 |
San Francisco, CA | $44,033 | $21.17 |
Sunnyvale, CA | $43,864 | $21.09 |
San Jose, CA | $43,802 | $21.06 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Food Handler Jobs in the U.S.
Analyzing some similar jobs related to the Food Handler job category, we found that Culvers Manager jobs have average salaries greater than Food Handler jobs.
Significantly, Culvers Manager jobs pay $17,588 (47.1%) more than the average Food Handler salary of $37,374. If you're qualified, finding work as a Culvers Manager may help you make more money than that of the average Food Handler position.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Culvers Manager | $54,962 | $26.42 |
Cheese Maker | $34,445 | $16.56 |
Meal Prep | $32,628 | $15.69 |
Corner Bakery | $31,736 | $15.26 |
Peter Piper Pizza Hourly | $31,705 | $15.24 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
