What is the typical salary range for a Food Preparation Worker?

Pay typically falls between $31,000 and $40,000 per year depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

Food Preparation Worker Salary: $36,500 Average

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Average base salary

$36,500 / year

≈ $3,050 per month · $17.55 per hour

Location

25th percentile
$31,000Average
$36,50075th percentile
$40,000

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.

About this role

Food Preparation Worker is a professional role in the Food Preparation and Serving job family, focused on Food Preparation Worker work. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

How this role compares

Food Preparation Worker pays 11% below the average across 17 roles in the Food Preparation and Serving job family (family average $41,000).

Similar-paying roles in Food Preparation and Serving

Cooks, Short Order$37,500

Dishwasher$35,500

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other$38,000

Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$34,000

Cooks, Fast Food$33,500

Cooks, Restaurant$40,000

Cooks, All Other$40,500

Waiters and Waitresses$41,500

Bartender$42,000

First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$48,000

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Food Preparation Worker make?

The average base salary for a Food Preparation Worker in the United States is $36,500 per year, or about $17.55 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $31,000 and $40,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Food Preparation and Serving roles?

The Food Preparation and Serving job family averages $41,000 across 17 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

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