Hiring a food service manager in Honolulu, HI

Do Honolulu residents in management work earn more than employers in the Urban Honolulu, HI area pay?

Honolulu residents working in management occupations earn a median of $79,615 (Census ACS 5-year 2023, tables S2401 and B24011), against $111,940 as the median of the 35 wages BLS publishes for that same occupation group in the Urban Honolulu, HI area (BLS OEWS, May 2025), a difference of 29%, with the employers figure the higher of the two.

Both sides of that figure describe the whole management group, not this one role. In the Urban Honolulu, HI area the group covers 35 occupations BLS publishes a wage for, from farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers at $57,320 to chief executives at $315,920 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), with food service managers at $85,390 inside it.

That comparison is between two different measures, not a pay gap. The two weight the same occupation group differently: the Census figure is the midpoint across the people who actually hold those jobs, so a group carrying a few very well paid occupations is pulled toward them, while the BLS figure is the midpoint across the 35 published occupation wages, which counts each of those occupations once whatever its headcount. Census also counts where people live and BLS counts where the jobs are, and the two cover different populations, Census the civilian employed population 16 and over, BLS wage-and-salary jobs only. Read the number against other cities, where the same definitional difference applies on both sides, rather than as a shortfall.

Published wages across this group in the metro run above what Honolulu residents in it earn, which usually means employers here draw this talent from beyond the city line rather than from inside it.

Is the talent actually in Honolulu?

This is a job zone two: some preparation needed occupation. These occupations usually require a high school diploma. O*NET OnLine, SOC 11-9051.

It does not require a degree, which widens the pool considerably. For context, 40.8% of Honolulu adults hold one. Census ACS 5-year 2023, table S1501, residents of Honolulu aged 25 and over.

The average Honolulu commute runs 22.3 minutes, which is roughly how far your catchment reaches before candidates start saying no. 8.9% of Honolulu workers already work from home, so a fully onsite requirement here is competing against that. Census ACS 5-year 2023, place-level commuting characteristics for Honolulu.

How often do these jobs turn over?

In Honolulu County, management of companies and enterprises employs 8,573 and turns over 5.3% a quarter, with 587 hires against 613 separations. Average earnings in that industry run $7,716 a month. Census LEHD Quarterly Workforce Indicators, 2024 Q1, NAICS 55.

That figure covers every occupation in the industry, not this role alone, so read it as the local churn rate rather than as a number about food service managers. It still tells you what you are hiring into: a low-churn market, where people do not move often and passive candidates are the whole game.

What does the search cost?

The fee is set by the seniority of the role, never by salary and never by location. Across all six tiers it runs $6,240 to $54,340 per search. A contingency firm hiring at this role's $85,390 median in the Urban Honolulu, HI area (BLS OEWS, May 2025) would bill roughly $17,078 to $25,617 on the first year salary alone.

One owner runs the search from market map to signed offer. Searches typically fill in 23 to 35 days, which is a typical window rather than a promise, and the replacement guarantee runs 45 days at 50% off.

Questions employers ask about hiring a food service manager in Honolulu

What does it cost to hire a food service manager in Honolulu?

Tier I to Tier VI, $6,240 to $54,340 per search, set by the seniority of the role and never by salary or location. A contingency firm billing 20 to 30% of this role's $85,390 median wage in the Urban Honolulu, HI area (BLS OEWS, May 2025) would charge roughly $17,078 to $25,617 on the first year salary alone.

What should an offer for a food service manager in Honolulu look like?

Employers in the Urban Honolulu, HI area pay food service managers a median of $85,390, with the middle half of the market between $57,250 and $103,760 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A band set below $57,250 competes for the bottom quarter of that market.

Do Honolulu residents in management work earn more than employers in the Urban Honolulu, HI area pay?

Honolulu residents working in management occupations earn a median of $79,615 (Census ACS 5-year 2023, tables S2401 and B24011), against $111,940 as the median of the 35 wages BLS publishes for that same occupation group in the Urban Honolulu, HI area (BLS OEWS, May 2025), a difference of 29%. Both figures cover the whole occupation group rather than this one role, and one counts where people live while the other counts where the jobs are, so the percentage is not a pay gap.

Is the talent for this role already in Honolulu?

This is a job zone 2 occupation and does not require a degree, which widens the pool considerably. For context, 40.8% of Honolulu adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (Census ACS 5-year 2023, table S1501).

Related

• Hiring Food Service Managers: the role, the pay, the process
• Recruiting services in Honolulu
• Every Hawaii city we cover

Honolulu is the largest of 1 Hawaii cities in this dataset.