Food Preparation Workers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for food preparation workers is $35,320, or $16.98 per hour. About 893,600 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $40,910 in Washington to $23,620 in Louisiana.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $40,910 | $19.67 | 19,510 | 0.96 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $39,600 | $19.04 | 3,970 | 0.98 |
| 3 | California | $39,350 | $18.92 | 112,750 | 1.08 |
| 4 | Colorado | $38,960 | $18.73 | 12,080 | 0.73 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $38,900 | $18.70 | 13,620 | 0.65 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $38,160 | $18.35 | 5,950 | 1.65 |
| 7 | Oregon | $37,450 | $18.00 | 11,860 | 1.05 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $36,800 | $17.69 | 980 | 0.40 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $36,780 | $17.68 | 3,420 | 0.87 |
| 10 | Arizona | $36,750 | $17.67 | 16,590 | 0.89 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $36,650 | $17.62 | 12,250 | 1.26 |
| 12 | Vermont | $36,550 | $17.57 | 1,350 | 0.77 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $36,110 | $17.36 | 1,620 | 1.00 |
| 14 | Maine | $36,030 | $17.32 | 4,560 | 1.24 |
| 15 | Delaware | $35,930 | $17.28 | 2,400 | 0.86 |
| 16 | Florida | $35,920 | $17.27 | 73,100 | 1.28 |
| 17 | Alaska | $35,720 | $17.17 | 2,800 | 1.50 |
| 18 | New York | $35,610 | $17.12 | 62,380 | 1.12 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $35,540 | $17.09 | 24,730 | 1.00 |
| 20 | Maryland | $35,500 | $17.07 | 13,280 | 0.84 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $35,470 | $17.06 | 2,830 | 0.98 |
| 22 | Georgia | $35,250 | $16.95 | 26,450 | 0.94 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $35,210 | $16.93 | 6,890 | 1.17 |
| 24 | Virginia | $34,900 | $16.78 | 16,340 | 0.69 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $34,850 | $16.76 | 24,620 | 1.45 |
| 26 | Illinois | $34,850 | $16.75 | 34,820 | 0.99 |
| 27 | Ohio | $34,530 | $16.60 | 19,480 | 0.61 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $34,070 | $16.38 | 17,990 | 1.06 |
| 29 | Montana | $33,860 | $16.28 | 2,990 | 1.02 |
| 30 | Utah | $33,540 | $16.12 | 10,530 | 1.06 |
| 31 | Nevada | $33,460 | $16.09 | 11,420 | 1.28 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $33,370 | $16.04 | 6,850 | 1.37 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $32,180 | $15.47 | 14,460 | 1.09 |
| 34 | Missouri | $31,510 | $15.15 | 13,650 | 0.81 |
| 35 | Idaho | $31,510 | $15.15 | 4,670 | 0.95 |
| 36 | Michigan | $31,180 | $14.99 | 17,380 | 0.69 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $30,840 | $14.83 | 17,940 | 0.51 |
| 38 | Texas | $30,650 | $14.74 | 81,280 | 1.01 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $30,430 | $14.63 | 3,270 | 1.24 |
| 40 | Iowa | $30,360 | $14.60 | 4,170 | 0.47 |
| 41 | Kansas | $30,280 | $14.56 | 7,680 | 0.93 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $30,260 | $14.55 | 24,960 | 0.88 |
| 43 | Indiana | $29,700 | $14.28 | 16,200 | 0.88 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $28,700 | $13.80 | 19,780 | 1.05 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $28,540 | $13.72 | 7,430 | 0.76 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $28,360 | $13.63 | 2,960 | 0.73 |
| 47 | Alabama | $27,930 | $13.43 | 17,680 | 1.46 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $27,660 | $13.30 | 5,500 | 0.73 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $26,850 | $12.91 | 15,390 | 1.34 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $26,240 | $12.61 | 7,870 | 1.18 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $23,620 | $11.36 | 30,920 | 2.78 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do food preparation workers make?
The median annual wage for food preparation workers in the United States is $35,320, or $16.98 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $25,810, and the top 10% earn $45,340.
How many food preparation workers are employed in the U.S.?
About 893,600 people work as food preparation workers nationwide.
Which state pays food preparation workers the most?
Washington pays the most at a median of $40,910, followed by District of Columbia ($39,600) and California ($39,350).
Which state pays food preparation workers the least?
Louisiana has the lowest median at $23,620.
Where are food preparation workers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Louisiana at 2.78×.