SalaryByCity

Food Service Managers vs Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive: Salary Comparison (2024)

Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Food Service Managers

$65,310

Median annual salary

244,230 employed nationally

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

$46,290

Median annual salary

1,737,820 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Food Service Managers professionals earn $19,020 more per year than Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive professionals — that's 41.1% higher. At the 90th percentile, Food Service Managers earns $105,420 compared to $64,150 for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.

Salary Range Comparison

Food Service Managers$42,380 – $105,420
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$31,600 – $64,150
$31,600$105,420

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileFood Service ManagersSecretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveDifference
10th Percentile$42,380$31,600+$10,780
25th Percentile$53,090$37,770+$15,320
Median (50th)$65,310$46,290+$19,020
75th Percentile$82,300$55,650+$26,650
90th Percentile$105,420$64,150+$41,270
Mean (Average)$72,370$47,640+$24,730

Employment Numbers

Food Service Managers

244,230

employed nationwide

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

1,737,820

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

Best Cities for Food Service Managers

CityMedian
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$95,540
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$86,840
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO$84,180
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$82,570
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA$82,400

Best Cities for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$61,190
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$60,320
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$58,310
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$56,060
Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT$53,960

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Food Service Managers or Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Food Service Managers professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $19,020 (41.1% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Food Service Managers?
Food Service Managers salaries range from $42,380 (10th percentile) to $105,420 (90th percentile), with a median of $65,310.
What is the salary range for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salaries range from $31,600 (10th percentile) to $64,150 (90th percentile), with a median of $46,290.
How many Food Service Managers and Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive jobs are there?
There are approximately 244,230 Food Service Managers positions and 1,737,820 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive to Food Service Managers?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Food Service Managers has a median salary of $65,310 while Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earns $46,290. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.

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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS