Food Preparation Worker Salary in West Virginia: $29,500 Average

Home › Food Preparation and Serving › Food Preparation Worker › West Virginia

Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET

Average base salary, West Virginia

$29,500 / year

≈ $2,450 per month · $14.18 per hour

LocationOr metro area

BLS May 2025 state data for West Virginia · median $29,500

25th percentile
$24,000Average
$29,50075th percentile
$32,500

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.

Food Preparation Worker salary by state

Alabama$29,500

Alaska$38,500

Arizona$39,000

Arkansas$30,500

California$43,000

Colorado$41,500

Connecticut$40,500

Delaware$37,500

District of Columbia$43,000

Florida$36,500

Georgia$35,000

Hawaii$43,000

Idaho$33,500

Illinois$37,500

Indiana$32,500

Iowa$33,000

Kansas$32,500

Kentucky$30,000

Louisiana$26,500

Maine$39,000

Maryland$38,500

Massachusetts$42,500

Michigan$34,000

Minnesota$37,000

Mississippi$27,500

Missouri$35,000

Montana$35,000

Nebraska$36,000

Nevada$37,500

New Hampshire$37,500

New Jersey$39,000

New Mexico$34,000

New York$39,500

North Carolina$32,500

North Dakota$37,500

Ohio$36,000

Oklahoma$29,500

Oregon$41,000

Pennsylvania$33,000

Rhode Island$39,000

South Carolina$33,500

South Dakota$32,500

Tennessee$32,000

Texas$33,000

Utah$36,000

Vermont$40,000

Virginia$36,000

Washington$44,000

West Virginia$29,500

Wisconsin$35,000

Wyoming$36,500

About this role

Food Preparation Worker is a professional role within the function in the Food Preparation and Serving job family.

Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Food Preparation Workers do

Typical education: High School Diploma

Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, utensils, dishes, or silverware.
Assist cooks and kitchen staff with various tasks as needed, and provide cooks with needed items.
Take and record temperature of food and food storage areas, such as refrigerators and freezers.
Carry food supplies, equipment, and utensils to and from storage and work areas.
Remove trash and clean kitchen garbage containers.

Top skills: Time Management Service Orientation Active Listening Speaking Coordination Critical Thinking

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).

Food Preparation Worker pay by experience level

Entry level$26,500

Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)

Early career$31,000

A few years in (about the 25th percentile)

Experienced$36,500

Mid-career median pay

Senior$40,000

Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)

Top earners$47,000

Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)

Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.

Job outlook

-3.4%

projected change in jobs, 2024–2034

148,000

projected openings per year

Declining

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.

Food Preparation Worker salary by industry

Food Services and Drinking Places

503,270 workers

$35,500

Restaurants and Other Eating Places

432,070 workers

$35,000

Food and Beverage Retailers

187,430 workers

$37,000

Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only)

186,590 workers

$37,000

Special Food Services

65,900 workers

$39,000

Educational Services

34,520 workers

$39,500

Nursing and Residential Care Facilities

29,640 workers

$34,000

Elementary and Secondary Schools

28,350 workers

$38,500

General Merchandise Retailers

28,080 workers

$44,500

Educational Services, Local Government Owned

26,600 workers

$38,500

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.

How this role compares

Food Preparation Worker pays 10% below the average across 18 roles in the Food Preparation and Serving job family (family average $40,500).

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

Careers related to Food Preparation Worker

Cooks, Restaurant$40,000

Cooks, Short Order$37,500

Barista$33,500

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$40,000

Butchers and Meat Cutters$44,000

Cooks, Fast Food$33,500

Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.

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 $40,500 across 18 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

Explore Market Data Our Methodology

Put this data to work

Need Food Preparation Worker pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.

Request an analysis

Want to see what this salary looks like after taxes? Estimate your take-home pay →