$ PaycheckDecoded

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.

Food Preparation Worker take-home pay calculator

Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.

Food Preparation Worker
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

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

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-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 areaMedianTake-homeReal value*Jobs
1Yakima, WA$41,750$35,726$37,392600
2Wildwood, FL$35,410$30,632$35,859500
3Fargo, ND$36,590$31,580$34,753550
4Wichita Falls, TX$35,700$30,865$34,481580
5Kahului, HI$46,680$37,642$34,410720
6San Jose, CA$45,580$37,398$33,8685,930
7Springfield, MO$35,340$29,852$33,6991,490
8Seattle, WA$43,830$37,397$33,65111,060
9Toledo, OH$35,260$30,324$33,157950
10Omaha, NE$36,140$30,454$33,1343,690
11Columbus, OH$36,930$31,620$33,1213,210
12Merced, CA$38,980$32,445$33,015460
13Kennewick, WA$38,390$33,026$33,000810
14College Station, TX$34,380$29,804$32,7701,680
15Santa Rosa, CA$42,640$35,192$32,6501,410
16Crestview, FL$36,680$31,652$32,6211,050
17Rochester, MN$35,470$29,601$32,593790
18Amherst Town, MA$40,140$32,645$32,566510
19Greeley, CO$39,150$32,623$32,566530
20Lincoln, NE$35,210$29,749$32,4841,270
21Cleveland, OH$35,360$30,402$32,3694,410
22Akron, OH$35,010$30,130$32,2701,110
23St. Cloud, MN$33,540$28,154$32,127890
24Duluth, MN$34,010$28,506$32,1131,050
25La Crosse, WI$34,900$29,468$32,111660

*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).

Highest-paying cities

Food Preparation Worker salary by state

StateMedianTake-homeRangeJobs
Washington $40,910$35,051 $34,890 – $51,73019,510
District of Columbia $39,600$32,789 $37,510 – $45,3703,970
California $39,350$32,723 $35,190 – $48,470112,750
Colorado $38,960$32,479 $30,800 – $49,00012,080
Massachusetts $38,900$31,711 $34,280 – $48,42013,620
Hawaii $38,160$31,396 $29,950 – $57,7205,950
Oregon $37,450$29,824 $31,560 – $48,58011,860
North Dakota $36,800$31,749 $28,400 – $43,840980
New Hampshire $36,780$31,733 $26,830 – $45,9803,420
Arizona $36,750$30,999 $31,300 – $44,64016,590
Connecticut $36,650$30,904 $34,010 – $47,79012,250
Vermont $36,550$30,757 $31,840 – $49,0201,350
Wyoming $36,110$31,194 $22,880 – $46,5901,620
Maine $36,030$29,832 $31,150 – $46,4004,560
Delaware $35,930$29,733 $31,200 – $43,0702,400
Florida $35,920$31,042 $28,190 – $43,30073,100
Alaska $35,720$30,881 $30,350 – $46,4402,800
New York $35,610$29,467 $33,280 – $46,80062,380
New Jersey $35,540$30,202 $32,220 – $46,07024,730
Maryland $35,500$29,382 $31,290 – $45,89013,280
Rhode Island $35,470$29,967 $31,200 – $45,2202,830
Georgia $35,250$29,297 $24,840 – $40,39026,450
Nebraska $35,210$29,749 $28,740 – $42,5606,890
Virginia $34,900$29,030 $28,460 – $42,48016,340
Illinois $34,850$28,602 $31,200 – $44,99034,820
Minnesota $34,850$29,136 $29,150 – $45,79024,620
Ohio $34,530$29,758 $26,640 – $44,50019,480
Wisconsin $34,070$28,837 $26,080 – $44,29017,990
Montana $33,860$28,552 $26,000 – $43,4102,990
Utah $33,540$28,586 $26,740 – $45,29010,530
Nevada $33,460$29,065 $26,140 – $50,60011,420
New Mexico $33,370$28,525 $27,290 – $38,2006,850
South Carolina $32,180$27,263 $22,990 – $40,37014,460
Idaho $31,510$26,937 $22,150 – $40,2604,670
Missouri $31,510$26,955 $28,600 – $44,44013,650
Michigan $31,180$26,159 $26,540 – $38,62017,380
Pennsylvania $30,840$26,013 $22,360 – $39,60017,940
Texas $30,650$26,807 $22,790 – $42,45081,280
South Dakota $30,430$26,631 $26,510 – $38,5803,270
Iowa $30,360$26,072 $23,760 – $40,2504,170
Kansas $30,280$25,599 $22,880 – $39,2207,680
North Carolina $30,260$25,795 $21,870 – $38,76024,960
Indiana $29,700$25,197 $23,170 – $39,05016,200
Tennessee $28,700$25,240 $22,290 – $39,66019,780
Oklahoma $28,540$24,373 $20,800 – $35,9807,430
West Virginia $28,360$24,253 $21,570 – $35,8902,960
Alabama $27,930$23,479 $20,820 – $37,58017,680
Arkansas $27,660$23,522 $24,020 – $36,2605,500
Kentucky $26,850$22,899 $20,900 – $37,83015,390
Mississippi $26,240$22,901 $18,790 – $36,1007,870
Louisiana $23,620$20,739 $17,970 – $34,19030,920

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, Yakima, WA 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 254 cities