Food Preparation Workers salary in the United States

$25,810
10th
$29,950
25th
$35,320
Median
$38,550
75th
$45,340
90th

National median

$35,320

2025 OEWS

Mean

$35,290

Hourly median

$16.98

Employment

893,600

Top paying locations with published data

LocationMedianEmployment
Kahului, HI$46,680720
San Jose, CA$45,5805,930
Seattle, WA$43,83011,060
Napa, CA$42,810620
Santa Rosa, CA$42,6401,410
Yakima, WA$41,750600
San Francisco, CA$41,00014,470
WA$40,91019,510
Amherst Town, MA$40,140510
Walla Walla, WA$40,030210
Los Angeles, CA$39,77044,930
Boulder, CO$39,690650
Boston, MA$39,6609,630
DC$39,6003,970
Denver, CO$39,4706,640
Bremerton, WA$39,400580
CA$39,350112,750
Greeley, CO$39,150530
Santa Cruz, CA$39,110830
Merced, CA$38,980460
CO$38,96012,080
MA$38,90013,620
Vallejo, CA$38,840930
San Diego, CA$38,7809,360
Portland, OR$38,7306,870
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025. Published survey snapshot, not a real-time market rate.