Food Processing Workers, All Other salary in the U.S.
Food Processing Workers, All Other in the U.S. earn a median of $39,680 a year ($19.08 an hour), based on BLS data for 65,000 workers.
Pay ranges from $32,210 for the lowest-paid 10% to $47,950 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $40,300, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for food processing workers, all other in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $32,210 | $15.49 |
| 25th percentile | $36,410 | $17.51 |
| Median | $39,680 | $19.08 |
| 75th percentile | $44,130 | $21.22 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $47,950 | $23.05 |
| Average (mean) | $40,300 | $19.38 |
Half of food processing workers, all other 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 | $3,306.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,653.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,526.15 |
| Weekly | $763.08 |
| Hourly | $19.08 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Food Processing Workers, All Other salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $46,930 | 610 |
| Idaho | $46,820 | 130 |
| Kansas | $46,060 | 560 |
| New Hampshire | $45,410 | 80 |
| Illinois | $45,340 | 2,760 |
| Arizona | $45,330 | 600 |
| North Dakota | $45,120 | 50 |
| Missouri | $44,050 | 1,630 |
| Washington | $43,980 | 920 |
| Vermont | $43,300 | 120 |
| Massachusetts | $43,200 | 210 |
| New York | $42,920 | 400 |
| Wyoming | $42,740 | 30 |
| Tennessee | $42,690 | 1,910 |
| Minnesota | $41,800 | 2,000 |
| Iowa | $41,740 | 5,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,620 | 1,350 |
| Utah | $41,400 | 620 |
| Florida | $41,390 | 1,050 |
| Indiana | $41,250 | 910 |
| Wisconsin | $40,590 | 340 |
| Texas | $40,150 | 6,780 |
| Delaware | $39,470 | 510 |
| Ohio | $39,470 | 1,640 |
| Michigan | $38,750 | 430 |
| Oklahoma | $38,530 | 360 |
| Maine | $38,270 | 110 |
| California | $38,230 | 7,140 |
| Oregon | $38,170 | 760 |
| Mississippi | $38,150 | 590 |
| Arkansas | $37,840 | 1,770 |
| Georgia | $37,810 | 5,650 |
| Virginia | $37,810 | 1,190 |
| West Virginia | $37,750 | 100 |
| Montana | $37,740 | 140 |
| Alabama | $37,510 | 460 |
| Connecticut | $37,450 | n/a |
| Kentucky | $37,450 | 690 |
| North Carolina | $37,360 | 4,770 |
| South Carolina | $37,060 | 510 |
| Maryland | $35,870 | 2,450 |
| Rhode Island | $34,770 | 160 |
| New Jersey | $34,670 | 940 |
| New Mexico | $34,560 | 230 |
| Louisiana | $31,230 | 2,950 |
| Nevada | $30,120 | 590 |
Best-paying metro areas for food processing workers, all other
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | $62,330 | 60 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $53,420 | 120 |
| Lancaster, PA | $51,490 | 190 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $50,500 | 50 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $50,310 | 90 |
| Boulder, CO | $48,850 | 60 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $48,600 | 470 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $47,800 | 110 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $47,750 | 240 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $47,320 | 340 |
| Reno, NV | $47,020 | n/a |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $46,350 | 1,710 |
| Morristown, TN | $46,320 | 380 |
| Greeley, CO | $46,240 | n/a |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $45,330 | 500 |
Metro areas with the most food processing workers, all other
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,530 | $37,280 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,920 | $36,660 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 1,710 | $46,350 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,150 | $42,840 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,030 | $38,100 |
| Gainesville, GA | 990 | $35,670 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 960 | $37,910 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | 900 | $42,600 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 800 | $34,790 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 760 | $39,770 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 620 | $30,430 |
| Cleveland, OH | 590 | $38,210 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 560 | $34,860 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 560 | $40,530 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 510 | $38,090 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Baker | $37,160 | $17.86 |
| Food Batchmaker | $42,290 | $20.33 |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $38,300 | $18.41 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $40,140 | $19.30 |
| Slaughterers and Meat Packers | $40,130 | $19.29 |
| Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | $41,590 | $20.00 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $44,810 | $21.54 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $44,650 | $21.47 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $74,450 | $35.79 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $48,570 | $23.35 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $53,750 | $25.84 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $43,220 | $20.78 |
| Machinist | $58,750 | $28.24 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $40,110 | $19.29 |
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-3099. 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 processing workers, all other make in the U.S.?
The median salary for food processing workers, all other in the U.S. is $39,680 a year, or $19.08 an hour. Pay ranges from $32,210 for the lowest-paid 10% to $47,950 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid food processing workers, all other make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of food processing workers, all other in the U.S. earn at least $47,950 a year. The top 25% earn $44,130 or more.
What is the starting pay for food processing workers, all other in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $32,210 a year, and a quarter of food processing workers, all other earn $36,410 or less.
How many food processing workers, all other work in the U.S.?
About 65,000 food processing workers, all other are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.