Food Preparation Workers salary
The median pay for food preparation workers in the United States is $35,320 a year. About 893,600 people hold this job.
- 10th percentile
- $25,810
- 25th percentile
- $29,950
- Median percentile
- $35,320
- 75th percentile
- $38,550
- 90th percentile
- $45,340
Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience. BLS does not report experience, so reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only a rough guide. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025.
How to become: education, skills and job outlook
Highest-paying states · Highest-paying cities
By state
- Washington $40,910
- District of Columbia $39,600
- California $39,350
- Colorado $38,960
- Massachusetts $38,900
- Hawaii $38,160
- Oregon $37,450
- North Dakota $36,800
- New Hampshire $36,780
- Arizona $36,750
- Connecticut $36,650
- Vermont $36,550
- Wyoming $36,110
- Maine $36,030
- Delaware $35,930
- Florida $35,920
- Alaska $35,720
- New York $35,610
- New Jersey $35,540
- Maryland $35,500
- Rhode Island $35,470
- Georgia $35,250
- Nebraska $35,210
- Virginia $34,900
- Illinois $34,850
- Minnesota $34,850
- Ohio $34,530
- Wisconsin $34,070
- Montana $33,860
- Utah $33,540
- Nevada $33,460
- New Mexico $33,370
- South Carolina $32,180
- Idaho $31,510
- Missouri $31,510
- Michigan $31,180
- Pennsylvania $30,840
- Texas $30,650
- South Dakota $30,430
- Iowa $30,360
- Kansas $30,280
- North Carolina $30,260
- Indiana $29,700
- Tennessee $28,700
- Oklahoma $28,540
- West Virginia $28,360
- Alabama $27,930
- Arkansas $27,660
- Kentucky $26,850
- Mississippi $26,240
- Louisiana $23,620
By metro area
- Kahului, HI $46,680
- San Jose, CA $45,580
- Seattle, WA $43,830
- Napa, CA $42,810
- Santa Rosa, CA $42,640
- Yakima, WA $41,750
- San Francisco, CA $41,000
- Amherst Town, MA $40,140
- Walla Walla, WA $40,030
- Los Angeles, CA $39,770
- Boulder, CO $39,690
- Boston, MA $39,660
- Denver, CO $39,470
- Bremerton, WA $39,400
- Greeley, CO $39,150
- Santa Cruz, CA $39,110
- Merced, CA $38,980
- Vallejo, CA $38,840
- San Diego, CA $38,780
- Portland, OR $38,730
- Barnstable Town, MA $38,660
- El Centro, CA $38,610
- San Luis Obispo, CA $38,550
- Sacramento, CA $38,480
- Salinas, CA $38,480
- Santa Maria, CA $38,470
- Longview, WA $38,460
- Modesto, CA $38,450
- Riverside, CA $38,420
- Kennewick, WA $38,390
- Bozeman, MT $38,260
- Bellingham, WA $38,240
- Naples, FL $38,190
- Bend, OR $38,010
- Olympia, WA $37,950
- Bridgeport, CT $37,820
- Mount Vernon, WA $37,740
- Yuba City, CA $37,740
- Fresno, CA $37,730
- Flagstaff, AZ $37,710
- Oxnard, CA $37,680
- Washington, DC $37,630
- Phoenix, AZ $37,580
- Stockton, CA $37,550
- Chico, CA $37,510
- Colorado Springs, CO $37,450
- Hanford, CA $37,430
- North Port, FL $37,320
- Minot, ND $37,310
- Salem, OR $37,300
- Urban Honolulu, HI $37,300
- Bismarck, ND $37,270
- Portland, ME $37,260
- Grand Junction, CO $37,240
- Bakersfield, CA $37,090
- Burlington, VT $37,040
- Visalia, CA $37,020
- Port St. Lucie, FL $37,000
- New Haven, CT $36,970
- Madison, WI $36,940
- Columbus, OH $36,930
- Pittsfield, MA $36,930
- Hilton Head Island, SC $36,920
- Coeur d'Alene, ID $36,830
- Jacksonville, FL $36,730
- Crestview, FL $36,680
- Fargo, ND $36,590
- Waterbury, CT $36,580
- Wenatchee, WA $36,580
- Cape Coral, FL $36,560
- Worcester, MA $36,550
- Corvallis, OR $36,510
- Fort Collins, CO $36,510
- Redding, CA $36,400
- Spokane, WA $36,360
- Manchester, NH $36,330
- Tampa, FL $36,330
- Punta Gorda, FL $36,310
- Albany, NY $36,260
- Providence, RI $36,250
- Charleston, SC $36,220
- Norwich, CT $36,200
- Eugene, OR $36,160
- Ithaca, NY $36,140
- Omaha, NE $36,140
- Santa Fe, NM $36,120
- Atlanta, GA $36,090
- Miami, FL $36,090
- Springfield, MA $36,020
- Trenton, NJ $35,950
- Cheyenne, WY $35,930
- Palm Bay, FL $35,870
- Albany, OR $35,860
- Hartford, CT $35,860
- Atlantic City, NJ $35,810
- Lewiston, ID $35,780
- Wichita Falls, TX $35,700
- New York, NY $35,670
- Grand Forks, ND $35,650
- Lewiston, ME $35,630
- Pueblo, CO $35,620
- Orlando, FL $35,600
- Sebastian, FL $35,600
- Kiryas Joel, NY $35,550
- Milwaukee, WI $35,470
- Rochester, MN $35,470
- Medford, OR $35,440
- Grants Pass, OR $35,430
- Chicago, IL $35,410
- Wildwood, FL $35,410
- Yuma, AZ $35,390
- Binghamton, NY $35,370
- Cleveland, OH $35,360
- Boise City, ID $35,340
- Springfield, MO $35,340
- Toledo, OH $35,260
- Tucson, AZ $35,260
- Vineland, NJ $35,240
- Lincoln, NE $35,210
- Lake Havasu City, AZ $35,180