Average Panda Express Salary - Zippia

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Panda Express salary estimate

$13.46hourly

$27,988 yearlyEntry-level salary$19,000 yearly salaryUpdated December 15, 2025

Panda Express Salary Overview

The average salary at Panda Express is around $27,988 per year. However, salaries can vary significantly based on position, location, and experience level. For example, managerial roles typically command higher wages, reflecting the increased responsibilities involved.

Highest Paying Jobs

Some of the top-paying positions include:

• Restaurant Manager
• District Manager
• Area Coach

Additionally, salaries may differ by state, with locations in metropolitan areas often offering higher compensation due to the cost of living. Understanding these factors can assist prospective employees in evaluating their earning potential at Panda Express.

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Highest paying job at Panda Express

Coach Operator - $75,288

See other titlesHighest paying department at Panda Express

Education - $51,406

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Highest paying job at Panda Express

Coach Operator - $75,288

See other titlesHighest paying department at Panda Express

Education - $51,406

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What am I worth?

Get your estimate

Highest paying jobs at Panda Express

The highest paying jobs at Panda Express are coach operator, general manager, chef, and supervisor. Coach operator jobs at Panda Express earn an average yearly salary of $75,288, Panda Express general manager jobs average $43,198, and Panda Express chef jobs average $42,140.

The lowest paying Panda Express roles include food server and crew member. Panda Express food server average salary is $24,042 per year. So while the average Panda Express salary is $27,988 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.

Director Program Management

Highest paying jobs at Panda Express

Rank	Job title	Average Panda Express salary	Hourly rate
1	Coach Operator	$75,288	$36.20
2	General Manager	$43,198	$20.77
3	Chef	$42,140	$20.26
4	Supervisor	$33,617	$16.16
5	Team Leader	$31,265	$15.03
6	Assistant Manager	$31,082	$14.94
7	Shift Leader	$31,061	$14.93
8	Food Handler	$29,485	$14.18
9	Customer Service Representative	$29,185	$14.03
10	Kitchen Staff	$28,972	$13.93
11	Associate	$28,813	$13.85
12	Front Counter Attendant	$28,637	$13.77
13	Cook	$27,901	$13.41
14	Counter Helper	$27,633	$13.29
15	Service Team Member	$26,195	$12.59
16	Kitchen Helper	$25,790	$12.40
17	Cashier	$25,194	$12.11
18	Server And Hostess	$24,968	$12.00
19	Crew Member	$24,966	$12.00
20	Food Server	$24,042	$11.56

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Average Panda Express salary by state

Panda Express pays the highest salaries in California due to higher costs of living and competition in the state.

Rank	State	Average Panda Express salary	Hourly rate
1	California	$33,630	$16.17
2	Michigan	$28,151	$13.53
3	Texas	$25,250	$12.14
4	Louisiana	$23,257	$11.18

How much does Panda Express pay by location?

The average Panda Express salary varies by location. Panda Express salaries are the highest in Spokane, WA, at $34,317 per year. Panda Express pays the second highest average salary in Medford, MA, at $34,106 per year. It's important to factor in the cost of living when negotiating a salary or choosing a place to work.

Highest paying Panda Express locations

Rank	Location	Average Panda Express salary	Hourly rate
1	Spokane, WA	$34,317	$16.50
2	Medford, MA	$34,106	$16.40
3	New York, NY	$34,005	$16.35
4	Rosemead, CA	$33,374	$16.05
5	Washington, DC	$32,783	$15.76
6	Milford, CT	$32,715	$15.73
7	Corvallis, OR	$31,430	$15.11
8	Urban Honolulu, HI	$30,139	$14.49
9	Woodbury, MN	$29,511	$14.19
10	Prescott Valley, AZ	$28,484	$13.69
11	Vernon Hills, IL	$28,397	$13.65
12	Bethesda, MD	$28,254	$13.58
13	Henderson, NV	$28,190	$13.55
14	Pittsburgh, PA	$27,978	$13.45
15	Ann Arbor, MI	$27,915	$13.42
16	Manassas, VA	$27,619	$13.28
17	Cedar City, UT	$27,084	$13.02
18	Glendale, WI	$26,920	$12.94
19	Cedar Rapids, IA	$26,285	$12.64
20	Columbus, OH	$25,466	$12.24

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Panda Express salaries by department

Salaries at Panda Express vary depending on the department you work in. Panda Express salaries in the education department are the highest with an average salary of $51,406. Employees in the warehouse department at Panda Express receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $30,135 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at Panda Express include the retail and the hospitality/service organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $27,407 and $27,623, respectively.

Average Panda Express salary by department

Rank	Department	Average Panda Express salary	Hourly rate
1	Education	$51,406	$24.71
2	Warehouse	$30,135	$14.49
3	Customer Service	$29,073	$13.98
4	Plant/Manufacturing	$29,051	$13.97
5	Sales	$27,945	$13.44
6	Hospitality/Service	$27,624	$13.28
7	Retail	$27,408	$13.18

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How much does Panda Express pay by department?

Best paying Panda Express hospitality/service salaries

Rank	Position	Average Panda Express salary	Hourly rate
1	Chef	$42,140	$20.26
2	Front Of House Manager	$37,615	$18.08
3	Kitchen Staff	$28,972	$13.93
4	Front Counter Attendant	$28,637	$13.77
5	Kitchen Crew	$28,274	$13.59
6	Cook	$27,901	$13.41
7	Counter Helper	$27,633	$13.29
8	Food Service Worker	$26,859	$12.91
9	Server And Hostess	$24,968	$12.00
10	Waitress	$24,368	$11.72
11	Food Server	$24,042	$11.56

Best paying Panda Express retail salaries

Rank	Position	Average Panda Express salary	Hourly rate
1	General Manager	$43,198	$20.77
2	Team Service Leader	$32,017	$15.39
3	Shift Supervisor	$31,370	$15.08
4	Team Leader	$31,265	$15.03
5	Assistant Manager	$31,082	$14.94
6	Counter Clerk	$29,086	$13.98
7	Store Associate	$28,889	$13.89
8	Front Counter Attendant	$28,637	$13.77
9	Key Holder	$28,328	$13.62
10	Front End Associate	$26,655	$12.81
11	Cashier	$25,194	$12.11

Best paying Panda Express plant/manufacturing salaries

Rank	Position	Average Panda Express salary	Hourly rate
1	General Manager	$43,198	$20.77
2	Shift Manager	$31,316	$15.06
3	Line Cook	$30,006	$14.43
4	House Worker	$29,197	$14.04
5	Kitchen Assistant	$28,152	$13.53
6	Prep Cook/Dishwasher	$27,694	$13.31
7	Service Team Member	$26,195	$12.59
8	Kitchen Helper	$25,790	$12.40
9	Line Up Worker	$25,302	$12.16

Panda Express competitors’ average salaries

Average salaries at Panda Express competitors, like Cafe Services, Panda Restaurant Group, and Chipotle Mexican Grill, vary. Cafe Services employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $33,224. The average salary at Panda Restaurant Group is $33,150 per year, and the average salary at Chipotle Mexican Grill is $32,507 per year.

Company

Highest paying Panda Express competitors

Rank	Company name	Zippia score	Average salary
1	Cafe Services	4.4	$33,224
2	Panda Restaurant Group	4.6	$33,150
3	Chipotle Mexican Grill	4.4	$32,507
4	Bruegger's Bagels	4.3	$31,564
5	P.F. Chang's China Bistro	4.5	$30,886
6	QDOBA Catering - Twin Cities Group	4.6	$28,977
7	Zippy's	4.0	$28,856
8	Boston Market	3.9	$27,399
9	Bojangles	4.1	$27,396
10	Church's Chicken	4.2	$27,270
11	Hardee's Food Systems Inc	4.2	$27,230
12	Luby's	4.0	$27,203
13	Sonic Drive-In	4.3	$27,013
14	Whataburger	3.8	$26,990
15	Taco Bell	4.2	$26,941
16	Dairy Queen	4.1	$26,822
17	Burger King	4.5	$26,543
18	Wendy's	4.3	$26,046
19	Subway	4.2	$25,489
20	KFC	4.2	$25,307

What employees say about salary at Panda Express

Employee reviewsAllShare2.0A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2024Pros of working at Panda Express

Good pay for food ($18.50 to $19.50 for starting positions for front/back of house)

Cons of working at Panda Express

Management was awful

Panda Express benefits

Free food

What do you like best about Panda Express's CEO and the leadership team?

The manager was actively trying to replace the entire crew that was currently working

How would you improve Panda Express's culture?

I would like for them to care more about their employees.

How did you prepare for the Panda Express interview?

I didn't really prepare.

How does your compensation at Panda Express compare to the industry average?

They offer many types of insurance, scholarships, and good pay

What's the diversity at Panda Express like?

It was very diverse

Is this useful?4.0A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2023Pros of working at Panda Express

The opportunity to make connections with customers.

Cons of working at Panda Express

Poor leadership skills from management.

Panda Express benefits

Creating amazing friendships with my coworkers.

Is this useful?2.0A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2023Pros of working at Panda Express

The thing I like about working there is that I get to meet new people

Cons of working at Panda Express

The thing I do not like about working there is how I am working in hard times

Panda Express benefits

My favorite benefit is maybe the PTO I get when I work certain hours

Is this useful?4.0A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2023Pros of working at Panda Express

I like fast pace work. Working in fast food helped me work fast paced all the time.

Cons of working at Panda Express

I loved everything at first. However, over time the management went downhill and it just became miserable.

Panda Express benefits

I love that Panda Express offered insurance.

Is this useful?4.0A zippia user wrote a review on May 2023Pros of working at Panda Express

Fast-paced and very diverse, employees from at least 3 different countries each shift. Also, the food was very good and fun to cook.

Cons of working at Panda Express

The dishwashing equipment broke a lot (gloves), and my hands were allergic to the soap.

Panda Express benefits

The free food during breaks was definitely my favorite.

Is this useful?1.0A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2023Pros of working at Panda Express

The pay was decent for a fast-food job. The work is a lot depending on whether you work in the front or the back.

Cons of working at Panda Express

The management was terrible.

Is this useful?3.0A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2021Pros of working at Panda Express

The food and the people.

Cons of working at Panda Express

All the drama and Panda Express is very unprofessional.

Panda Express benefits

Bonuses that I received while working there.

Is this useful?4.0A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2021Pros of working at Panda Express

I liked the hours, I would always get a lot of hours.

Cons of working at Panda Express

There wasn’t much I didn’t like about this job.

Panda Express benefits

Free food & could have worked almost however much I wanted.

Is this useful?4.0A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2021Pros of working at Panda Express

I liked the hours, I would always get a lot of hours.

Cons of working at Panda Express

There wasn’t much I didn’t like about this job.

Panda Express benefits

Free food & could have worked almost however much I wanted.

Is this useful?4.0A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2021Pros of working at Panda Express

Pays very well, and encourages moveing up

Cons of working at Panda Express

Very long hours

Panda Express benefits

Scholarships, food, and learning benefits

Is this useful?4.0A zippia user wrote a review on May 2021Pros of working at Panda Express

I was I have been able to become a manager within a year of working. There are opportunities for leadership and continuing your education.

Cons of working at Panda Express

Management is inconsiderate of personal time, The staff members are unreliable.

Panda Express benefits

I am able to work as many hours as I want. There are flexible with my schedule. I love the staff that I work with.

Is this useful?4.0A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2021Pros of working at Panda Express

They are very flexible with your schedule.

Cons of working at Panda Express

Management didn't seem to want to help me prepare or pushed me for a higher position

Panda Express benefits

Free food

Is this useful?3.0A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2021Pros of working at Panda Express

Benefits, and good pay

Cons of working at Panda Express

Very demanding on the physical side and availability

Panda Express benefits

Free employee meals and getting benefits

Is this useful?3.0A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020Pros of working at Panda Express

I liked learning to cook out of a wok and also the responsibility that it takes to learn and control the night shift at panda expressd

Is this useful?3.0A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020Pros of working at Panda Express

The food is good. I like the cross training experience that i had learn there.

Cons of working at Panda Express

Bad management.

Is this useful?2.0A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020Pros of working at Panda Express

Keeps me busy due to fast paced work. Most coworkers are nice and easy to get along with. Good pay.

Cons of working at Panda Express

Management is not good. Not appreciated. Others get away with breaking regulations but I get in trouble if I do it. Treated like garbage.

Panda Express benefits

Good pay

Is this useful?5.0A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019Pros of working at Panda Express

The benefits, bonus and health coverage. I was in a car wreck, hospital bill was $19,000 panda health insurance covered all of it.

Cons of working at Panda Express

Sometimes we don’t hire the right people so it’s a process to get them out.

Panda Express benefits

Bonus! Health insurance with great coverage!

Is this useful?3.0A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019Pros of working at Panda Express

I like the food and the occasional jokes with coworkers and rewarding feeling of getting everything done

Cons of working at Panda Express

Staying super late hours-midnight or later on busy days, the scrutiny of the company, having to scrub every corner in case upper management comes in, the amount of work piled onto and expected from employees, managers will often only help front and not the back

Panda Express benefits

Free food I guess

Is this useful?5.0A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019Pros of working at Panda Express

Benefits, Environment, Motivation, Self-elevation

Cons of working at Panda Express

No work-life balance

Panda Express benefits

Hotel discount

Is this useful?5.0A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019Pros of working at Panda Express

Motivation is key when working at Panda Express and you can feel the energy in the employees and how it directly affects the customers.

Cons of working at Panda Express

At times it can be a little too demanding as rush periods get stressful and hectic.

Panda Express benefits

Free Food and company discounts.

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Frequently asked questions about Panda Express salaries

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Panda Express highest paying jobs

• Coach Operator
• General Manager
• Chef
• Supervisor
• Team Leader
• Assistant Manager
• Shift Leader
• Food Handler
• Customer Service Representative
• Kitchen Staff
• Associate
• Front Counter Attendant
• Cook
• Counter Helper
• Service Team Member

• Companies
• California
• Rosemead, CA
• Panda Express
• Panda Express Salaries

Updated December 15, 2025

Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Panda Express, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Panda Express. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Panda Express. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by Panda Express. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Panda Express and its employees or that of Zippia.

Panda Express may also be known as or be related to Panda Express, Panda Express Inc, Panda Express Inc. and Panda Express, Inc.