Food Preparation Worker Salary in Baltimore, MD
Food Preparation Workers in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area earn a median $35,080 a year — 1% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,064 take-home, or $2,422 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median food preparation worker salary in Baltimore, MD. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,030
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,175
- Medicare (1.45%)$509
- Maryland income tax$1,303
- Take-home pay$29,064
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.75% state
Living in Baltimore City? City residents also pay Baltimore City’s city income tax — about $913 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $28,151 ($2,346 a month). Choose “Baltimore City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Food Preparation Worker pay by experience in Baltimore, MD
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,470 | $15.13 | $26,335 | $2,195 |
| 25th percentile | $33,540 | $16.13 | $27,900 | $2,325 |
| Median (50th) | $35,080 | $16.87 | $29,064 | $2,422 |
| 75th percentile | $37,330 | $17.95 | $30,765 | $2,564 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $46,780 | $22.49 | $37,909 | $3,159 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Maryland resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $35,080 buys in Baltimore, MD
Prices in Baltimore, MD are 4.5% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.18× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median food preparation worker's $29,064 take-home pay has the buying power of $27,816 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Food Preparation Worker jobs are about as common in Baltimore, MD as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.88).
Best-paying cities for food preparation workers, adjusted for cost of living
Baltimore, MD ranks #50 of 65 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $45,580 | $37,398 | $33,868 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $43,830 | $37,397 | $33,651 |
| 3 | Omaha, NE | $36,140 | $30,454 | $33,134 |
| 4 | Columbus, OH | $36,930 | $31,620 | $33,121 |
| 5 | Cleveland, OH | $35,360 | $30,402 | $32,369 |
| 6 | Jacksonville, FL | $36,730 | $31,693 | $31,857 |
| 7 | San Antonio, TX | $34,390 | $29,812 | $31,476 |
| 8 | North Port, FL | $37,320 | $32,167 | $31,408 |
| 50 | Baltimore, MD | $35,080 | $29,064 | $27,816 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 65 metros →
About the job: food preparation workers
Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -3.0% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food preparation worker make in Baltimore, MD?
The median food preparation worker salary in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area is $35,080 a year, or about $16.87 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $33,540 and $37,330.
What is a food preparation worker’s take-home pay in Baltimore, MD?
On the median $35,080 salary, a single filer living in Maryland takes home about $29,064 a year ($2,422 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,303 in Maryland taxes in 2026.
Is Baltimore, MD a good place to work as a food preparation worker?
Pay here is 1% below the national median of $35,320. Local prices are 4.5% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $27,816 would in a typical U.S. city. Baltimore, MD ranks #50 of 65 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a food preparation worker afford rent in Baltimore, MD?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Baltimore, MD is $1,511 a month ($1,857 for two bedrooms) — 62% of a median food preparation worker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Baltimore, MD
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,760
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $37,540
- Cooks, Restaurant — $37,420
- Bartender — $37,360
- Waiter and Waitress — $36,170
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $35,710
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $34,320
- Cooks, Fast Food — $33,290
- Dishwasher — $33,280
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $33,090