- Salary statistics
- School meal manager salary
School meal manager salary
Latest available salary statistics are for 2025. Compare average pay, salary range and related job listings.
38 000 - 44 800 SEK / month
Hotell, restaurang
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Salary progression School meal manager
What does a School Meal Manager do? – Tasks and work environment
A School Meal Manager is responsible for planning, leading, and developing the meal services within schools. The role includes managing staff, ensuring food hygiene and nutritional standards are met, and overseeing budgets and procurement. The work often involves close collaboration with school management, suppliers, and other professionals to ensure students receive nutritious and well-balanced meals. The work environment is characterized by a fast pace and demands good organizational skills, leadership, and communication abilities.
Salary development over time
Over the past three years, salary development for School Meal Managers has shown steady growth. In 2022, the average salary was 40,000 SEK, with a slight decrease to 41 600 SEK in 2023. Between 2023 and 2024, the average salary increased significantly to 38 837 SEK, representing a rise of approximately 4.3% compared to the previous year. This positive trend can be explained by increased demand for qualified professionals in the school meal sector, higher requirements for specialization and leadership, and a stronger focus on sustainable and nutritious school food. The salary trend also reflects the overall development within the public sector, where employers need to offer competitive conditions to attract and retain competent managers.
School Meal Manager salary – complete overview
- Average salary: 38 837 SEK/month
- Lowest salary: 36,400 SEK/month (men), 36,600 SEK/month (women)
- Highest salary: 45,400 SEK/month (men), 43,200 SEK/month (women)
- Hourly wage (average): 250 SEK
- Gender differences: Women earn an average of 0 SEK/month; data on men is incomplete
- Regional differences: Data is missing for specific regions
Education and qualifications
To work as a School Meal Manager, a combination of education and practical experience in large-scale catering, food economics, or food handling is usually required. Many have post-secondary education in nutrition science, hotel and restaurant management, or similar fields. Internships in public kitchens or large-scale catering are often advantageous, and some employers may also require specific certifications for food hygiene.
- Post-secondary education: Nutrition science, hotel and restaurant management (2–3 years)
- Certifications: Food hygiene and self-monitoring
- Experience: Experience from large-scale catering or public kitchens is highly valued
- Prerequisites: High school education, often in catering and food handling
- Tips: Courses in leadership and personnel management increase employability
A School Meal Manager often needs to collaborate with school management, suppliers, and the business sector to create sustainable and innovative meal solutions. The role therefore requires initiative and the ability to see the bigger picture of the school’s operations.
Common benefits and compensations
Common benefits for School Meal Managers include wellness allowances, subsidized meals, opportunities for professional development, and extra vacation days. Pension schemes and insurance are often included in the employment package, especially within the public sector.
Competition and challenges
The demand for School Meal Managers is relatively stable, with currently 123 job openings in the profession. At the same time, challenges include increased requirements for nutrition, sustainability, and special diets, as well as the need to optimize operations within given budgets. Competition for the most attractive positions can be fierce, especially in larger municipalities or schools with a high profile. The ability to lead staff and drive development projects is crucial for success in the role.
Tips for aspiring School Meal Managers
To succeed as a School Meal Manager, it’s good to combine a structured work approach with a genuine interest in food and health. Strong leadership skills are important, so early experience in personnel responsibility or project management is recommended. The ability to communicate clearly and build good relationships with colleagues, students, and suppliers facilitates the work. Attention to detail is valuable when handling food and finances, while flexibility is needed to quickly solve unforeseen challenges. Staying updated on new dietary trends and legislation makes it easier to meet future requirements. Curiosity and a willingness to develop the operation contribute to an engaging work environment and increase chances for advancement.
Key facts about School Meal Managers
- Education level: Post-secondary education (2–3 years) recommended
- Work environment: Large-scale catering, often within the public sector
- Work form: Full-time is most common, sometimes shift work
- Demand: 123 job openings in Sweden
- Special skills: Food hygiene, economics, and personnel management
Career paths and future prospects
After several years of experience as a School Meal Manager, opportunities open for roles such as area manager, nutrition manager, or other leadership positions within public meal services. Many progress to work on development projects, procurement, or education in nutrition and health. According to the Swedish Public Employment Service, the outlook remains good, especially for those with post-secondary education and experience in personnel management. Digitalization and increased sustainability requirements create new career opportunities, and there is generally low unemployment within the profession.
Frequently asked questions about School Meal Managers
- What does a School Meal Manager earn?
- The average salary is 38 837 SEK per month. Women earn an average of 0 SEK. - What education is required to become a School Meal Manager?
- Post-secondary education in nutrition science, hotel and restaurant management, or similar is recommended. - Are there differences between men's and women's salaries?
- Women earn an average of 0 SEK. Complete data on men is unavailable, but the highest salary for men is 45,400 SEK. - What does the job market look like for School Meal Managers?
- There are 123 job openings in the profession, and the outlook is considered good. - What are the most common job tasks?
- Managing staff, planning menus, finances, purchasing, and quality assurance of food handling. - What are the highest and lowest salaries for School Meal Managers?
- Highest salary: 45,400 SEK (men), 43,200 SEK (women). Lowest salary: 36,400 SEK (men), 36,600 SEK (women). - What personal qualities are important?
- Leadership, attention to detail, flexibility, and good communication skills are especially valuable.
Salary distributed by age and sector
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 39000 kr | 39100 kr | |
| 35-44 | 104% | 41800 kr | 41800 kr |
| 45-54 | 106% | 42700 kr | 42900 kr |
| 55-64 | 106% | 40800 kr | 40800 kr |
| 65-68 | 41400 kr | 41400 kr | |
| Snitt | 103% | 41600 kr | 41700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 97% | 38800 kr | 38800 kr |
| 45-54 | 101% | 40300 kr | 40600 kr |
| 55-64 | 98% | 38400 kr | 38400 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 39300 kr | 39500 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 39500 kr | 39500 kr | |
| 35-44 | 102% | 43800 kr | 43900 kr |
| 45-54 | 105% | 45300 kr | 45300 kr |
| 55-64 | 43600 kr | 43600 kr | |
| 65-68 | 42200 kr | 42300 kr | |
| Snitt | 101% | 43400 kr | 43500 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 40500 kr | 40500 kr | |
| 45-54 | 43900 kr | 44400 kr | |
| 55-64 | 47300 kr | 47500 kr | |
| Snitt | 42700 kr | 43000 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 104% | 40800 kr | 40800 kr |
| 45-54 | 106% | 41100 kr | 41400 kr |
| 55-64 | 106% | 38900 kr | 38900 kr |
| Snitt | 103% | 40600 kr | 40700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 97% | 39300 kr | 39300 kr |
| 45-54 | 101% | 40000 kr | 40400 kr |
| 55-64 | 98% | 39000 kr | 39000 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 39600 kr | 39800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 102% | 43300 kr | 43300 kr |
| 45-54 | 105% | 43700 kr | 43700 kr |
| Snitt | 101% | 43000 kr | 43000 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 38900 kr | 39000 kr | |
| 35-44 | 104% | 42400 kr | 42400 kr |
| 45-54 | 106% | 43800 kr | 44000 kr |
| 55-64 | 106% | 41400 kr | 41400 kr |
| 65-68 | 41400 kr | 41400 kr | |
| Snitt | 103% | 42000 kr | 42200 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 97% | 38100 kr | 38100 kr |
| 45-54 | 101% | 40700 kr | 41000 kr |
| 55-64 | 98% | 38000 kr | 38100 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 39000 kr | 39200 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 39400 kr | 39400 kr | |
| 35-44 | 102% | 44000 kr | 44000 kr |
| 45-54 | 105% | 45800 kr | 45800 kr |
| 55-64 | 44000 kr | 44000 kr | |
| 65-68 | 42200 kr | 42300 kr | |
| Snitt | 101% | 43400 kr | 43600 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 40500 kr | 40500 kr | |
| 45-54 | 44000 kr | 44600 kr | |
| 55-64 | 47300 kr | 47500 kr | |
| Snitt | 42600 kr | 42900 kr |
About the data
All information displayed on this page is based on data from the Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics (SCB), the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish employment agency. Learn more about our data and data sources here.
All figures are gross salaries, meaning salaries before tax. The average salary, or mean salary, is calculated by adding up the total salary for all individuals within the profession and dividing it by the number of individuals. For specific job categories, we have also considered various criteria such as experience and education.
Profession School meal manager has the SSYK code 3452, which we use to match against the SCB database to obtain the latest salary statistics.
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