Food Preparation Workers · Florida

Food Preparation Workers Salary in Florida

Food Preparation Workers in Florida earn a median annual wage of $35,920 —1.7% above the national median of $35,320. That ranks FL #16 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$35,920
Median hourly
$17.27
Entry level (P10)
$28,190
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$43,300
90th percentile
Employment
73,100
7.4 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+1.7%
U.S. $35,320

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$28,190
$30,420
$35,920
$37,440
$28,190$35,920$43,300
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $35,920.

Employment is 1.28× as concentrated as the national average, making Florida a strong market for this occupation.

Highest-paying states for food preparation workers

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Florida is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Washington$40,910$19.6719,5100.96
2District of Columbia$39,600$19.043,9700.98
3California$39,350$18.92112,7501.08
4Colorado$38,960$18.7312,0800.73
5Massachusetts$38,900$18.7013,6200.65
6Hawaii$38,160$18.355,9501.65
7Oregon$37,450$18.0011,8601.05
8North Dakota$36,800$17.699800.40
9New Hampshire$36,780$17.683,4200.87
10Arizona$36,750$17.6716,5900.89

Related occupations in Florida

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Florida.

OccupationFlorida medianU.S. median
Fast Food and Counter Workers$29,080$31,200
Waiters and Waitresses$36,150$35,230
Cooks, Restaurant$37,020$37,390
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$44,470$44,080
Bartenders$35,150$34,340
Cooks, Fast Food$29,900$30,890

Frequently asked questions

How much do food preparation workers make in Florida?

The median annual wage for food preparation workers in Florida is $35,920, or $17.27 per hour. That is 1.7% above the national median of $35,320.

What is the entry-level food preparation workers salary in Florida?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $28,190 per year ($13.55/hour). The 25th percentile is $30,420.

How many people work as food preparation workers in Florida?

About 73,100 people work in this occupation in Florida, or 7.4 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Florida a good state for food preparation workers?

Florida ranks #16 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is 1.28x as concentrated as the national average, making Florida a strong market for this occupation.

Which state pays food preparation workers the most?

Washington has the highest median wage at $40,910 per year, followed by District of Columbia ($39,600) and California ($39,350).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes