United States · Pay by job · Food Service
Food Preparation Worker salary and take-home pay
The typical US food preparation worker earns $35,320 a year, or $16.98 an hour (BLS, May 2025). In Texas, where the median for this job is $30,650, a single filer keeps about $26,807 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: Food Preparation Workers (SOC 35-2021). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does a food preparation worker earn?
| Percentile | Bar | A year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $25,810 | $12.41 | |
| 25th | $29,950 | $14.40 | |
| Median | $35,320 | $16.98 | |
| 75th | $38,550 | $18.53 | |
| 90th | $45,340 | $21.80 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $29,950 to $38,550 a year, and about 893,600 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025).
Take-home pay tool
Food Preparation Worker · Texas · single · median
$26,807.28 a year after tax
$2,233.94 a month · $1,031.05 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $30,650.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$1,498.00 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$2,344.73 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $26,807.28 |
Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $30,650 a year (BLS). One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does a food preparation worker take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $25,810 | $22,865 | $22,403 | $21,925 |
| 25th | $29,950 | $26,245 | $25,647 | $25,064 |
| Median | $35,320 | $30,560 | $29,739 | $29,066 |
| 75th | $38,550 | $33,155 | $32,163 | $31,472 |
| 90th | $45,340 | $38,611 | $37,259 | $36,532 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.
Where does a food preparation worker keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $40,910 | $34,484 |
| 2 | California | $39,350 | $32,764 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $36,780 | $31,733 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $36,110 | $31,194 |
| 5 | Florida | $35,920 | $31,042 |
| 6 | Alaska | $35,720 | $30,702 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $35,540 | $29,902 |
| 8 | Georgia | $35,250 | $29,493 |
| 9 | Ohio | $34,530 | $29,426 |
| 10 | New York | $35,610 | $29,282 |
| 11 | Nevada | $33,460 | $29,065 |
| 12 | Virginia | $34,900 | $29,030 |
| 13 | Illinois | $34,850 | $28,602 |
| 14 | Texas | $30,650 | $26,807 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $30,430 | $26,631 |
| 16 | Michigan | $31,180 | $26,159 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $30,840 | $25,992 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $30,260 | $25,795 |
| 19 | Tennessee | $28,700 | $25,240 |
How much does a food preparation worker earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $27,930 | 17,680 | not yet |
| Alaska | $35,720 | 2,800 | $30,702 (#6) |
| Arizona | $36,750 | 16,590 | not yet |
| Arkansas | $27,660 | 5,500 | not yet |
| California | $39,350 | 112,750 | $32,764 (#2) |
| Colorado | $38,960 | 12,080 | not yet |
| Connecticut | $36,650 | 12,250 | not yet |
| Delaware | $35,930 | 2,400 | not yet |
| District of Columbia | $39,600 | 3,970 | not yet |
| Florida | $35,920 | 73,100 | $31,042 (#5) |
| Georgia | $35,250 | 26,450 | $29,493 (#8) |
| Hawaii | $38,160 | 5,950 | not yet |
| Idaho | $31,510 | 4,670 | not yet |
| Illinois | $34,850 | 34,820 | $28,602 (#13) |
| Indiana | $29,700 | 16,200 | not yet |
| Iowa | $30,360 | 4,170 | not yet |
| Kansas | $30,280 | 7,680 | not yet |
| Kentucky | $26,850 | 15,390 | not yet |
| Louisiana | $23,620 | 30,920 | not yet |
| Maine | $36,030 | 4,560 | not yet |
| Maryland | $35,500 | 13,280 | not yet |
| Massachusetts | $38,900 | 13,620 | not yet |
| Michigan | $31,180 | 17,380 | $26,159 (#16) |
| Minnesota | $34,850 | 24,620 | not yet |
| Mississippi | $26,240 | 7,870 | not yet |
| Missouri | $31,510 | 13,650 | not yet |
| Montana | $33,860 | 2,990 | not yet |
| Nebraska | $35,210 | 6,890 | not yet |
| Nevada | $33,460 | 11,420 | $29,065 (#11) |
| New Hampshire | $36,780 | 3,420 | $31,733 (#3) |
| New Jersey | $35,540 | 24,730 | $29,902 (#7) |
| New Mexico | $33,370 | 6,850 | not yet |
| New York | $35,610 | 62,380 | $29,282 (#10) |
| North Carolina | $30,260 | 24,960 | $25,795 (#18) |
| North Dakota | $36,800 | 980 | not yet |
| Ohio | $34,530 | 19,480 | $29,426 (#9) |
| Oklahoma | $28,540 | 7,430 | not yet |
| Oregon | $37,450 | 11,860 | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | $30,840 | 17,940 | $25,992 (#17) |
| Rhode Island | $35,470 | 2,830 | not yet |
| South Carolina | $32,180 | 14,460 | not yet |
| South Dakota | $30,430 | 3,270 | $26,631 (#15) |
| Tennessee | $28,700 | 19,780 | $25,240 (#19) |
| Texas | $30,650 | 81,280 | $26,807 (#14) |
| Utah | $33,540 | 10,530 | not yet |
| Vermont | $36,550 | 1,350 | not yet |
| Virginia | $34,900 | 16,340 | $29,030 (#12) |
| Washington | $40,910 | 19,510 | $34,484 (#1) |
| West Virginia | $28,360 | 2,960 | not yet |
| Wisconsin | $34,070 | 17,990 | not yet |
| Wyoming | $36,110 | 1,620 | $31,194 (#4) |
Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for a food preparation worker?
BLS expects jobs as a food preparation worker to shrink 3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 135,700 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- -3%
- Openings a year
- about 135,700
- Usual education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
What do similar jobs pay?
The 10 food service jobs closest in pay to a food preparation worker:
- Other Cook median $37,690
- Institution and Cafeteria Cook median $37,450
- Restaurant Cook median $37,390
- Short Order Cook median $35,880
- Other Food Service Worker median $35,840
- Nonrestaurant Food Server median $35,360
- Waiter and Waitress median $35,230
- Dishwasher median $34,810
- Bartender median $34,340
- Busser and Dining Room Attendant median $33,980
Every job in the group: Food Service jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $35,320, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary: $16.98 an hour as a yearly salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $35,320, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about food preparation worker pay
How much does a food preparation worker make an hour?
The median is $16.98 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $14.40 to $18.53, and the top 10% earn $21.80 or more.
Which state pays a food preparation worker the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, Washington has the highest median for this job: $40,910 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, Washington leaves the most: $34,484 a year for a single filer on its median of $40,910.
What is a food preparation worker’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $35,320, a single filer keeps about $30,560 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $29,739 in California and $29,066 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be a food preparation worker?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the usual way in, with no work experience in a related job and short-term on-the-job training (a month or less).
Is the number of food preparation worker jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as a food preparation worker to shrink 3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 135,700 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).