Food Preparation Worker Salary in Pittsburgh, PA
Food Preparation Workers in the Pittsburgh, PA metro area earn a median $30,120 a year — 15% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $25,457 take-home, or $2,121 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median food preparation worker salary in Pittsburgh, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,434
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,867
- Medicare (1.45%)$437
- Pennsylvania income tax$925
- Take-home pay$25,457
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Pittsburgh? City residents also pay Pittsburgh’s 1% city + 2% school district — about $904 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $24,553 ($2,046 a month). Choose “Pittsburgh” 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 Pittsburgh, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $19,100 | $9.18 | $16,752 | $1,396 |
| 25th percentile | $26,830 | $12.90 | $22,881 | $1,907 |
| Median (50th) | $30,120 | $14.48 | $25,457 | $2,121 |
| 75th percentile | $35,520 | $17.08 | $29,630 | $2,469 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $39,360 | $18.92 | $32,597 | $2,716 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $30,120 buys in Pittsburgh, PA
Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 5.3% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 28% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median food preparation worker's $25,457 take-home pay has the buying power of $26,890 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 Pittsburgh, PA than nationally (location quotient 0.51), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for food preparation workers, adjusted for cost of living
Pittsburgh, PA ranks #56 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 |
| 56 | Pittsburgh, PA | $30,120 | $25,457 | $26,890 |
*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.
Food Preparation Worker salaries elsewhere in Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia, PA — $34,560
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food preparation worker make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median food preparation worker salary in the Pittsburgh, PA metro area is $30,120 a year, or about $14.48 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $26,830 and $35,520.
What is a food preparation worker’s take-home pay in Pittsburgh, PA?
On the median $30,120 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $25,457 a year ($2,121 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $925 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Pittsburgh, PA a good place to work as a food preparation worker?
Pay here is 15% below the national median of $35,320. Local prices are 5.3% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $26,890 would in a typical U.S. city. Pittsburgh, PA ranks #56 of 65 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a food preparation worker afford rent in Pittsburgh, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Pittsburgh, PA is $1,058 a month ($1,281 for two bedrooms) — 50% of a median food preparation worker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Pittsburgh, PA
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $40,530
- Cooks, Restaurant — $36,130
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $36,100
- Waiter and Waitress — $35,470
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $30,260
- Dishwasher — $30,000
- Bartender — $29,750
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $28,540
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $28,250