Food Preparation Worker Salary
Food Preparation Workers earn a median $35,320 a year nationally. Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
U.S. median
$35,320
$16.98 per hour
Range
$25,810 – $45,340
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
893,600
across the U.S.
▲3.2%
Pay trend: The median for food preparation workers in the U.S. rose from $34,220 (May 2024) to $35,320 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 0.8%.
What food preparation workers do
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)
- Openings per year
- 135,700
- Self-employed
- 1%
Employment of food preparation workers is projected to shrink 3.0% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 135,700 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Food Preparation Worker take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$30,560
per year · effective tax rate 13.5%
$2,547Monthly
$1,273Twice a month
$1,175Every 2 weeks
$14.69Hourly
- Federal income tax$2,058
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,190
- Medicare (1.45%)$512
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$30,560
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $25,810 | $12.41 | $22,865 |
| 25th percentile | $29,950 | $14.40 | $26,245 |
| Median (50th) | $35,320 | $16.98 | $30,560 |
| 75th percentile | $38,550 | $18.53 | $33,155 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,340 | $21.80 | $38,611 |
Best cities for food preparation workers (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $45,580 | $37,398 | $33,868 | 5,930 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $43,830 | $37,397 | $33,651 | 11,060 |
| 3 | Omaha, NE | $36,140 | $30,454 | $33,134 | 3,690 |
| 4 | Columbus, OH | $36,930 | $31,620 | $33,121 | 3,210 |
| 5 | Cleveland, OH | $35,360 | $30,402 | $32,369 | 4,410 |
| 6 | Jacksonville, FL | $36,730 | $31,693 | $31,857 | 4,630 |
| 7 | San Antonio, TX | $34,390 | $29,812 | $31,476 | 7,910 |
| 8 | North Port, FL | $37,320 | $32,167 | $31,408 | 3,480 |
| 9 | Nashville, TN | $34,640 | $30,013 | $31,154 | 6,410 |
| 10 | Tampa, FL | $36,330 | $31,371 | $31,094 | 10,150 |
| 11 | Denver, CO | $39,470 | $32,866 | $31,069 | 6,640 |
| 12 | Cincinnati, OH | $34,320 | $29,595 | $31,031 | 5,320 |
| 13 | Milwaukee, WI | $35,470 | $29,900 | $30,845 | 4,500 |
| 14 | Cape Coral, FL | $36,560 | $31,556 | $30,832 | 2,460 |
| 15 | Austin, TX | $34,880 | $30,206 | $30,802 | 9,350 |
| 16 | Tucson, AZ | $35,260 | $29,839 | $30,795 | 2,350 |
| 17 | Houston, TX | $35,020 | $30,319 | $30,740 | 16,240 |
| 18 | Albuquerque, NM | $34,380 | $29,293 | $30,659 | 2,570 |
| 19 | Phoenix, AZ | $37,580 | $31,645 | $30,629 | 11,910 |
| 20 | Deltona, FL | $34,850 | $30,182 | $30,374 | 2,540 |
| 21 | Orlando, FL | $35,600 | $30,785 | $30,354 | 10,300 |
| 22 | Riverside, CA | $38,420 | $32,025 | $30,087 | 11,190 |
| 23 | Sacramento, CA | $38,480 | $32,070 | $30,065 | 5,510 |
| 24 | Buffalo, NY | $34,700 | $28,785 | $30,033 | 3,290 |
| 25 | Providence, RI | $36,250 | $30,564 | $30,032 | 3,870 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Jose, CA — $45,580
- Seattle, WA — $43,830
- San Francisco, CA — $41,000
- Los Angeles, CA — $39,770
- Boston, MA — $39,660
- Denver, CO — $39,470
- San Diego, CA — $38,780
- Portland, OR — $38,730
- Sacramento, CA — $38,480
- Riverside, CA — $38,420
- Bridgeport, CT — $37,820
- Washington, DC — $37,630
- Phoenix, AZ — $37,580
- North Port, FL — $37,320
- Urban Honolulu, HI — $37,300
Food Preparation Worker salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $40,910 | +5.0% | $35,051 | $34,890 – $51,730 | 19,510 |
| District of Columbia | $39,600 | +3.0% | $32,789 | $37,510 – $45,370 | 3,970 |
| California | $39,350 | +3.1% | $32,723 | $35,190 – $48,470 | 112,750 |
| Colorado | $38,960 | +0.7% | $32,479 | $30,800 – $49,000 | 12,080 |
| Massachusetts | $38,900 | +3.0% | $31,711 | $34,280 – $48,420 | 13,620 |
| Hawaii | $38,160 | +2.5% | $31,396 | $29,950 – $57,720 | 5,950 |
| Oregon | $37,450 | +2.9% | $29,824 | $31,560 – $48,580 | 11,860 |
| North Dakota | $36,800 | +3.1% | $31,749 | $28,400 – $43,840 | 980 |
| New Hampshire | $36,780 | +4.6% | $31,733 | $26,830 – $45,980 | 3,420 |
| Arizona | $36,750 | +3.6% | $30,999 | $31,300 – $44,640 | 16,590 |
| Connecticut | $36,650 | +3.5% | $30,904 | $34,010 – $47,790 | 12,250 |
| Vermont | $36,550 | −1.3% | $30,757 | $31,840 – $49,020 | 1,350 |
| Wyoming | $36,110 | +5.0% | $31,194 | $22,880 – $46,590 | 1,620 |
| Maine | $36,030 | +0.8% | $29,832 | $31,150 – $46,400 | 4,560 |
| Delaware | $35,930 | +8.0% | $29,733 | $31,200 – $43,070 | 2,400 |
| Florida | $35,920 | +2.1% | $31,042 | $28,190 – $43,300 | 73,100 |
| Alaska | $35,720 | −2.7% | $30,881 | $30,350 – $46,440 | 2,800 |
| New York | $35,610 | −1.2% | $29,467 | $33,280 – $46,800 | 62,380 |
| New Jersey | $35,540 | +1.8% | $30,202 | $32,220 – $46,070 | 24,730 |
| Maryland | $35,500 | +3.5% | $29,382 | $31,290 – $45,890 | 13,280 |
| Rhode Island | $35,470 | +0.0% | $29,967 | $31,200 – $45,220 | 2,830 |
| Georgia | $35,250 | +7.2% | $29,297 | $24,840 – $40,390 | 26,450 |
| Nebraska | $35,210 | +8.6% | $29,749 | $28,740 – $42,560 | 6,890 |
| Virginia | $34,900 | +10.8% | $29,030 | $28,460 – $42,480 | 16,340 |
| Illinois | $34,850 | +2.0% | $28,602 | $31,200 – $44,990 | 34,820 |
| Minnesota | $34,850 | +0.1% | $29,136 | $29,150 – $45,790 | 24,620 |
| Ohio | $34,530 | +9.3% | $29,758 | $26,640 – $44,500 | 19,480 |
| Wisconsin | $34,070 | +3.8% | $28,837 | $26,080 – $44,290 | 17,990 |
| Montana | $33,860 | +7.8% | $28,552 | $26,000 – $43,410 | 2,990 |
| Utah | $33,540 | +4.5% | $28,586 | $26,740 – $45,290 | 10,530 |
| Nevada | $33,460 | −1.3% | $29,065 | $26,140 – $50,600 | 11,420 |
| New Mexico | $33,370 | +13.7% | $28,525 | $27,290 – $38,200 | 6,850 |
| South Carolina | $32,180 | +7.1% | $27,263 | $22,990 – $40,370 | 14,460 |
| Idaho | $31,510 | +0.2% | $26,937 | $22,150 – $40,260 | 4,670 |
| Missouri | $31,510 | +3.2% | $26,955 | $28,600 – $44,440 | 13,650 |
| Michigan | $31,180 | −5.0% | $26,159 | $26,540 – $38,620 | 17,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $30,840 | +2.3% | $26,013 | $22,360 – $39,600 | 17,940 |
| Texas | $30,650 | +6.9% | $26,807 | $22,790 – $42,450 | 81,280 |
| South Dakota | $30,430 | +2.0% | $26,631 | $26,510 – $38,580 | 3,270 |
| Iowa | $30,360 | +1.7% | $26,072 | $23,760 – $40,250 | 4,170 |
| Kansas | $30,280 | +3.0% | $25,599 | $22,880 – $39,220 | 7,680 |
| North Carolina | $30,260 | +2.9% | $25,795 | $21,870 – $38,760 | 24,960 |
| Indiana | $29,700 | −1.3% | $25,197 | $23,170 – $39,050 | 16,200 |
| Tennessee | $28,700 | −1.0% | $25,240 | $22,290 – $39,660 | 19,780 |
| Oklahoma | $28,540 | +7.9% | $24,373 | $20,800 – $35,980 | 7,430 |
| West Virginia | $28,360 | +2.7% | $24,253 | $21,570 – $35,890 | 2,960 |
| Alabama | $27,930 | +9.5% | $23,479 | $20,820 – $37,580 | 17,680 |
| Arkansas | $27,660 | +1.2% | $23,522 | $24,020 – $36,260 | 5,500 |
| Kentucky | $26,850 | +9.5% | $22,899 | $20,900 – $37,830 | 15,390 |
| Mississippi | $26,240 | +13.2% | $22,901 | $18,790 – $36,100 | 7,870 |
| Louisiana | $23,620 | +3.1% | $20,739 | $17,970 – $34,190 | 30,920 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Short Order | $35,880 | No formal educational credential | -5.2% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $37,390 | No formal educational credential | +12.1% |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,450 | No formal educational credential | +2.8% |
| Cooks, All Other | $37,690 | No formal educational credential | +5.2% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $30,890 | No formal educational credential | +0.6% |
| Cooks, Private Household | $47,940 | Postsecondary nondegree award | +5.1% |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,360 | No formal educational credential | +4.5% |
| Waiter and Waitress | $35,230 | No formal educational credential | +2.0% |
| Dishwasher | $34,810 | No formal educational credential | -1.0% |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $35,840 | No formal educational credential | +5.5% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food preparation worker make?
The national median salary for food preparation workers is $35,320 a year ($16.98 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $25,810 and the top 10% earn over $45,340. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays food preparation workers the most?
Washington has the highest median pay at $40,910. After taxes and local prices, San Jose, CA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many food preparation workers are there in the U.S.?
About 893,600 people work as food preparation workers nationwide.
All 65 cities
- Albuquerque, NM
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Baltimore, MD
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Birmingham, AL
- Boston, MA
- Bridgeport, CT
- Buffalo, NY
- Cape Coral, FL
- Charleston, SC
- Charlotte, NC
- Chicago, IL
- Cincinnati, OH
- Cleveland, OH
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas, TX
- Deltona, FL
- Denver, CO
- Detroit, MI
- Greenville, SC
- Hartford, CT
- Houston, TX
- Indianapolis, IN
- Jacksonville, FL
- Kansas City, MO
- Knoxville, TN
- Lafayette, LA
- Las Vegas, NV
- Los Angeles, CA
- Louisville, KY
- Memphis, TN
- Miami, FL
- Milwaukee, WI
- Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville, TN
- New Orleans, LA
- New York, NY
- North Port, FL
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Omaha, NE
- Orlando, FL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland, OR
- Providence, RI
- Raleigh, NC
- Richmond, VA
- Riverside, CA
- Rochester, NY
- Sacramento, CA
- Salt Lake City, UT
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Shreveport, LA
- St. Louis, MO
- Tampa, FL
- Tucson, AZ
- Urban Honolulu, HI
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Washington, DC