Food Preparation Worker Salary in Detroit, MI
Food Preparation Workers in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earn a median $33,060 a year — 6% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $27,589 take-home, or $2,299 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median food preparation worker salary in Detroit, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,787
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,050
- Medicare (1.45%)$479
- Michigan income tax$1,154
- Take-home pay$27,589
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.25% state
Living in Detroit? City residents also pay Detroit’s city income tax — about $793 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $26,796 ($2,233 a month). Choose “Detroit” 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 Detroit, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,560 | $13.25 | $23,385 | $1,949 |
| 25th percentile | $29,710 | $14.28 | $25,040 | $2,087 |
| Median (50th) | $33,060 | $15.89 | $27,589 | $2,299 |
| 75th percentile | $36,690 | $17.64 | $30,352 | $2,529 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $39,870 | $19.17 | $32,772 | $2,731 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $33,060 buys in Detroit, MI
Prices in Detroit, MI are 0.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 5% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median food preparation worker's $27,589 take-home pay has the buying power of $27,507 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 less concentrated in Detroit, MI than nationally (location quotient 0.75), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for food preparation workers, adjusted for cost of living
Detroit, MI ranks #52 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 |
| 52 | Detroit, MI | $33,060 | $27,589 | $27,507 |
*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 Detroit, MI?
The median food preparation worker salary in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $33,060 a year, or about $15.89 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $29,710 and $36,690.
What is a food preparation worker’s take-home pay in Detroit, MI?
On the median $33,060 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $27,589 a year ($2,299 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,154 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Detroit, MI a good place to work as a food preparation worker?
Pay here is 6% below the national median of $35,320. Local prices are 0.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $27,507 would in a typical U.S. city. Detroit, MI ranks #52 of 65 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a food preparation worker afford rent in Detroit, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Detroit, MI is $1,128 a month ($1,413 for two bedrooms) — 49% of a median food preparation worker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Detroit, MI
- Chef and Head Cook — $60,870
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,570
- Waiter and Waitress — $37,490
- Cooks, Restaurant — $37,410
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $37,360
- Bartender — $36,780
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $35,170
- Dishwasher — $34,350
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $30,760
- Cooks, Fast Food — $29,810
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $29,590
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $29,290