This post brought to you by National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. The content and opinions expressed below are that of WebProNews.

The restaurant business might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to great jobs, but it should be. You won’t believe some of the numbers that prove how great it really can be for people of all ages.

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation has conducted a study that highlights the restaurant industry’s competitive pay and pay increases.The following infographic is the fourth in a series from the foundation, and illustrates the competitive salaries and consistent pay raises the restaurant industry provides.

The industry boasts impressive numbers for entry level jobs as well as for positions for folks who have been in the workforce for years.

The numbers are clear – there are very competitive wages available to employees of the restaurant industry. Chefs and cooks make a median base salary of $50,000, while restaurant managers make a median base salary or $47,000.

Salaries in the industry are not stagnant. Entry-level employees receive a pay raise, on average, within six months of hire. About 70% of managers and shift/crew supervisors have received a raise within the past year.

The industry goes beyond hourly pay. By mid-career, 57% of restaurant employees are salaried.

If the following infographic doesn’t convince you that the restaurant industry is a major driver of jobs and of our economy, you should probably look at this one, this one, and this one too.

Infographic:

Image via National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation