The average wage for a food preparation worker in the United States is around $10.92 per hour.
Avg Wage
Food preparation workers earn an average hourly wage of $10.92.
Salaries typically start from $8.02 per hour and go up to $14.87 per hour.
65% below national average Updated in 2019
Food preparation worker earnings by seniority
Top-level food preparation worker earnings begin at:
$14.87 per hour
$30,925 per year
Senior-level food preparation worker earnings begin at:
$12.85 per hour
$26,723 per year
Mid-level food preparation worker earnings begin at:
$10.92 per hour
$22,720 per year
Junior-level food preparation worker earnings begin at:
$9.29 per hour
$19,317 per year
Starting level food preparation worker earnings begin at:
$8.02 per hour
$16,692 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Food preparation worker salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $29,100 |
| Washington | $28,210 |
| Nevada | $28,130 |
| Rhode Island | $27,910 |
| Massachusetts | $27,420 |
| Hawaii | $27,009 |
| Oregon | $26,770 |
| New York | $26,656 |
| Connecticut | $26,430 |
| Minnesota | $26,180 |
| Vermont | $25,840 |
| Illinois | $25,200 |
| North Dakota | $25,150 |
| Alaska | $24,558 |
| California | $24,402 |
| New Hampshire | $24,360 |
| Maryland | $24,220 |
| Utah | $24,030 |
| Maine | $23,870 |
| Arizona | $23,241 |
| Florida | $23,020 |
| Texas | $22,730 |
| Nebraska | $22,710 |
| Wyoming | $22,600 |
| South Carolina | $22,540 |
| Michigan | $22,530 |
| New Jersey | $22,520 |
| Montana | $22,240 |
| Tennessee | $22,160 |
| Wisconsin | $21,960 |
| South Dakota | $21,880 |
| North Carolina | $21,660 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $21,500 |
| New Mexico | $21,460 |
| Iowa | $21,272 |
| Colorado | $21,233 |
| Ohio | $21,040 |
| Delaware | $20,880 |
| Missouri | $20,840 |
| Virginia | $20,640 |
| Georgia | $20,350 |
| West Virginia | $20,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $20,265 |
| Kansas | $20,248 |
| Oklahoma | $19,880 |
| Arkansas | $19,767 |
| Idaho | $19,715 |
| Indiana | $19,697 |
| Alabama | $19,643 |
| Guam | $19,420 |
| Kentucky | $19,301 |
| Mississippi | $18,540 |
| Louisiana | $18,350 |
| Puerto Rico | $17,830 |
How do food preparation worker salaries compare to similar careers?
Food preparation workers earn 12% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than food batchmakers but more than hosts and hostesses.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Food batchmaker salary | $31K |
| Dietetic technician salary | $29K |
| Baker salary | $28K |
| Food server salary | $27K |
| Barista salary | $25K |
| Food preparation worker salary | $23K |
| Restaurant cook salary | $22K |
| Host and hostess salary | $22K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)