Jobs Similar to Food Servers
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to food servers, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Fast Food and Counter Workers, Cooks (Institution and Cafeteria) and Waiters and Waitresses.
Food Servers: $35,360 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Food Servers) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fast Food and Counter WorkersSame group | 79% | $31,200−12% | High school |
| 2 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 79% | $37,450+6% | High school |
| 3 | Waiters and WaitressesSame group | 79% | $35,2300% | High school |
| 4 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | 79% | $33,980−4% | High school |
| 5 | Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 79% | $35,5100% | High school |
| 6 | Cooks, Fast Food | 78% | $30,890−13% | High school |
| 7 | BartendersSame group | 78% | $34,340−3% | High school |
| 8 | Stockers and Order Fillers | 77% | $37,330+6% | High school |
| 9 | Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants | 76% | $36,300+3% | High school |
| 10 | BaristasSame group | 75% | $31,200Broader BLS group · not compared | High school |
| 11 | Food Preparation Workers | 75% | $35,3200% | High school |
| 12 | Shampooers | 75% | $32,600−8% | High school |
| 13 | Animal Caretakers | 75% | $35,3600% | High school |
| 14 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | 74% | $31,200−12% | High school |
| 15 | Orderlies | 74% | $38,290+8% | High school |
| 16 | Dietetic Technicians | 74% | $37,640+6% | Training or associate |
| 17 | Nursing Assistants | 73% | $42,260+20% | Training or associate |
| 18 | Flight Attendants | 73% | $63,580+80% | High school |
| 19 | Baggage Porters and Bellhops | 73% | $37,080+5% | High school |
| 20 | Cooks, Short Order | 73% | $35,880+1% | High school |
- 1Fast Food and Counter Workers
79% similar · $31,200 (−12%) · High school · Same group
- 2Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
79% similar · $37,450 (+6%) · High school
- 3Waiters and Waitresses
79% similar · $35,230 (0%) · High school · Same group
- 4Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
79% similar · $33,980 (−4%) · High school
- 5Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
79% similar · $35,510 (0%) · High school
- 6Cooks, Fast Food
78% similar · $30,890 (−13%) · High school
- 7Bartenders
78% similar · $34,340 (−3%) · High school · Same group
- 8Stockers and Order Fillers
77% similar · $37,330 (+6%) · High school
- 9Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants
76% similar · $36,300 (+3%) · High school
- 10Baristas
75% similar · $31,200 (broader group) · High school · Same group
- 11Food Preparation Workers
75% similar · $35,320 (0%) · High school
- 12Shampooers
75% similar · $32,600 (−8%) · High school
- 13Animal Caretakers
75% similar · $35,360 (0%) · High school
- 14Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
74% similar · $31,200 (−12%) · High school
- 15Orderlies
74% similar · $38,290 (+8%) · High school
- 16Dietetic Technicians
74% similar · $37,640 (+6%) · Training or associate
- 17Nursing Assistants
73% similar · $42,260 (+20%) · Training or associate
- 18Flight Attendants
73% similar · $63,580 (+80%) · High school
- 19Baggage Porters and Bellhops
73% similar · $37,080 (+5%) · High school
- 20Cooks, Short Order
73% similar · $35,880 (+1%) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than food servers.
- Flight Attendants73% similar · $63,580 (+80%)
- Orderlies74% similar · $38,290 (+8%)
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria79% similar · $37,450 (+6%)
- Stockers and Order Fillers77% similar · $37,330 (+6%)
- Baggage Porters and Bellhops73% similar · $37,080 (+5%)
- Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants76% similar · $36,300 (+3%)
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for food servers also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where food servers is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers (89)
- Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants (86)
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop (84)
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria (83)
- Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners (83)
- Cooks, Fast Food (82)
- Food Preparation Workers (82)
- Baggage Porters and Bellhops (77)
- Cooks, Restaurant (77)
- Cooks, Short Order (77)
Questions about jobs like food servers
What jobs are most similar to food servers?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Fast Food and Counter Workers (79% similar), Cooks (Institution and Cafeteria) (79% similar), Waiters and Waitresses (79% similar), Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers (79% similar) and Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners (79% similar).
Which jobs like food servers pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Flight Attendants ($63,580, +80%; usually a high school diploma), Nursing Assistants ($42,260, +20%; usually training or an associate degree) and Orderlies ($38,290, +8%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with food servers ($35,360). Without more preparation than food servers usually need: Flight Attendants, Orderlies and Cooks (Institution and Cafeteria).
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.