Food Preparation Worker salary in the U.S.
Food Preparation Workers in the U.S. earn a median of $35,320 a year ($16.98 an hour), based on BLS data for 893,600 workers.
Pay ranges from $25,810 for the lowest-paid 10% to $45,340 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $35,290, close to the median.
Pay range for food preparation workers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $25,810 | $12.41 |
| 25th percentile | $29,950 | $14.40 |
| Median | $35,320 | $16.98 |
| 75th percentile | $38,550 | $18.53 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,340 | $21.80 |
| Average (mean) | $35,290 | $16.96 |
Half of food preparation workers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $2,943.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,471.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,358.46 |
| Weekly | $679.23 |
| Hourly | $16.98 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Food Preparation Worker salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $40,910 | 19,510 |
| District of Columbia | $39,600 | 3,970 |
| California | $39,350 | 112,750 |
| Colorado | $38,960 | 12,080 |
| Massachusetts | $38,900 | 13,620 |
| Hawaii | $38,160 | 5,950 |
| Oregon | $37,450 | 11,860 |
| North Dakota | $36,800 | 980 |
| New Hampshire | $36,780 | 3,420 |
| Arizona | $36,750 | 16,590 |
| Connecticut | $36,650 | 12,250 |
| Vermont | $36,550 | 1,350 |
| Wyoming | $36,110 | 1,620 |
| Maine | $36,030 | 4,560 |
| Delaware | $35,930 | 2,400 |
| Florida | $35,920 | 73,100 |
| Alaska | $35,720 | 2,800 |
| New York | $35,610 | 62,380 |
| New Jersey | $35,540 | 24,730 |
| Maryland | $35,500 | 13,280 |
| Rhode Island | $35,470 | 2,830 |
| Georgia | $35,250 | 26,450 |
| Nebraska | $35,210 | 6,890 |
| Virginia | $34,900 | 16,340 |
| Illinois | $34,850 | 34,820 |
| Minnesota | $34,850 | 24,620 |
| Ohio | $34,530 | 19,480 |
| Wisconsin | $34,070 | 17,990 |
| Montana | $33,860 | 2,990 |
| Utah | $33,540 | 10,530 |
| Nevada | $33,460 | 11,420 |
| New Mexico | $33,370 | 6,850 |
| South Carolina | $32,180 | 14,460 |
| Idaho | $31,510 | 4,670 |
| Missouri | $31,510 | 13,650 |
| Michigan | $31,180 | 17,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $30,840 | 17,940 |
| Texas | $30,650 | 81,280 |
| Virgin Islands | $30,460 | 390 |
| South Dakota | $30,430 | 3,270 |
| Iowa | $30,360 | 4,170 |
| Kansas | $30,280 | 7,680 |
| North Carolina | $30,260 | 24,960 |
| Indiana | $29,700 | 16,200 |
| Tennessee | $28,700 | 19,780 |
| Oklahoma | $28,540 | 7,430 |
| West Virginia | $28,360 | 2,960 |
| Alabama | $27,930 | 17,680 |
| Arkansas | $27,660 | 5,500 |
| Kentucky | $26,850 | 15,390 |
| Mississippi | $26,240 | 7,870 |
| Louisiana | $23,620 | 30,920 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,400 | 4,130 |
| Guam | $21,820 | 530 |
Best-paying metro areas for food preparation workers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $46,680 | 720 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $45,580 | 5,930 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $43,830 | 11,060 |
| Napa, CA | $42,810 | 620 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $42,640 | 1,410 |
| Yakima, WA | $41,750 | 600 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $41,000 | 14,470 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $40,140 | 510 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $40,030 | 210 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $39,770 | 44,930 |
| Boulder, CO | $39,690 | 650 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $39,660 | 9,630 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $39,470 | 6,640 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $39,400 | 580 |
| Greeley, CO | $39,150 | 530 |
Metro areas with the most food preparation workers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 63,530 | $35,670 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 44,930 | $39,770 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 27,100 | $35,410 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 21,700 | $30,740 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 19,630 | $36,090 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 17,060 | $36,090 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 16,810 | $35,100 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 16,240 | $35,020 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 14,810 | $37,630 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 14,470 | $41,000 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 11,910 | $37,580 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 11,190 | $38,420 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 11,060 | $43,830 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 10,780 | $34,560 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 10,300 | $35,600 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Restaurant | $37,390 | $17.98 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $30,890 | $14.85 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,450 | $18.01 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $35,880 | $17.25 |
| Cooks, All Other | $37,690 | $18.12 |
| Cooks, Private Household | $47,940 | $23.05 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $35,230 | $16.94 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $44,080 | $21.19 |
| Bartender | $34,340 | $16.51 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $33,980 | $16.34 |
| Dishwasher | $34,810 | $16.73 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,360 | $17.00 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-2021. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food preparation worker make in the U.S.?
The median salary for food preparation workers in the U.S. is $35,320 a year, or $16.98 an hour. Pay ranges from $25,810 for the lowest-paid 10% to $45,340 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid food preparation workers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of food preparation workers in the U.S. earn at least $45,340 a year. The top 25% earn $38,550 or more.
What is the starting pay for food preparation workers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $25,810 a year, and a quarter of food preparation workers earn $29,950 or less.
How many food preparation workers work in the U.S.?
About 893,600 food preparation workers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.