Food Preparation Worker Salary in Birmingham, AL
Food Preparation Workers in the Birmingham, AL metro area earn a median $29,260 a year — 17% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $24,492 take-home, or $2,041 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median food preparation worker salary in Birmingham, AL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,331
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,814
- Medicare (1.45%)$424
- Alabama income tax$1,198
- Take-home pay$24,492
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state
Living in Birmingham? City residents also pay Birmingham’s Occupational Tax — about $293 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $24,200 ($2,017 a month). Choose “Birmingham” 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 Birmingham, AL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $21,830 | $10.50 | $18,761 | $1,563 |
| 25th percentile | $22,830 | $10.98 | $19,534 | $1,628 |
| Median (50th) | $29,260 | $14.07 | $24,492 | $2,041 |
| 75th percentile | $36,850 | $17.72 | $30,211 | $2,518 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $37,960 | $18.25 | $31,048 | $2,587 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Alabama resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $29,260 buys in Birmingham, AL
Prices in Birmingham, AL are 8.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 28% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median food preparation worker's $24,492 take-home pay has the buying power of $26,726 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Birmingham, AL has 1.4× the national concentration of food preparation worker jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for food preparation workers, adjusted for cost of living
Birmingham, AL ranks #57 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 |
| 57 | Birmingham, AL | $29,260 | $24,492 | $26,726 |
*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 Birmingham, AL?
The median food preparation worker salary in the Birmingham, AL metro area is $29,260 a year, or about $14.07 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $22,830 and $36,850.
What is a food preparation worker’s take-home pay in Birmingham, AL?
On the median $29,260 salary, a single filer living in Alabama takes home about $24,492 a year ($2,041 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,198 in Alabama taxes in 2026.
Is Birmingham, AL a good place to work as a food preparation worker?
Pay here is 17% below the national median of $35,320. Local prices are 8.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $26,726 would in a typical U.S. city. Birmingham, AL ranks #57 of 65 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a food preparation worker afford rent in Birmingham, AL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Birmingham, AL is $1,115 a month ($1,234 for two bedrooms) — 55% of a median food preparation worker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Birmingham, AL
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,570
- Cooks, Restaurant — $34,340
- Cooks, Fast Food — $28,320
- Waiter and Waitress — $27,670
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $27,220
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,020