Salaries › Food Prep Worker
Food Prep Worker Salary by State (2026)
Food Prep Workers (Food Preparation Workers) hold 893,600 jobs across the US. Typical pay is $34,010 per year, but the median ranges from $23,620 in Louisiana to $40,910 in Washington. Pick your state for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Food Prep Worker salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| Washington | $40,910 | 19,510 |
| District of Columbia | $39,600 | 3,970 |
| California | $39,350 | 112,750 |
| Colorado | $38,960 | 12,080 |
| Massachusetts | $38,900 | 13,620 |
| Hawaii | $38,160 | 5,950 |
| Oregon | $37,450 | 11,860 |
| North Dakota | $36,800 | 980 |
| New Hampshire | $36,780 | 3,420 |
| Arizona | $36,750 | 16,590 |
| Connecticut | $36,650 | 12,250 |
| Vermont | $36,550 | 1,350 |
| Wyoming | $36,110 | 1,620 |
| Maine | $36,030 | 4,560 |
| Delaware | $35,930 | 2,400 |
| Florida | $35,920 | 73,100 |
| Alaska | $35,720 | 2,800 |
| New York | $35,610 | 62,380 |
| New Jersey | $35,540 | 24,730 |
| Maryland | $35,500 | 13,280 |
| Rhode Island | $35,470 | 2,830 |
| Georgia | $35,250 | 26,450 |
| Nebraska | $35,210 | 6,890 |
| Virginia | $34,900 | 16,340 |
| Illinois | $34,850 | 34,820 |
| Minnesota | $34,850 | 24,620 |
| Ohio | $34,530 | 19,480 |
| Wisconsin | $34,070 | 17,990 |
| Montana | $33,860 | 2,990 |
| Utah | $33,540 | 10,530 |
| Nevada | $33,460 | 11,420 |
| New Mexico | $33,370 | 6,850 |
| South Carolina | $32,180 | 14,460 |
| Idaho | $31,510 | 4,670 |
| Missouri | $31,510 | 13,650 |
| Michigan | $31,180 | 17,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $30,840 | 17,940 |
| Texas | $30,650 | 81,280 |
| South Dakota | $30,430 | 3,270 |
| Iowa | $30,360 | 4,170 |
| Kansas | $30,280 | 7,680 |
| North Carolina | $30,260 | 24,960 |
| Indiana | $29,700 | 16,200 |
| Tennessee | $28,700 | 19,780 |
| Oklahoma | $28,540 | 7,430 |
| West Virginia | $28,360 | 2,960 |
| Alabama | $27,930 | 17,680 |
| Arkansas | $27,660 | 5,500 |
| Kentucky | $26,850 | 15,390 |
| Mississippi | $26,240 | 7,870 |
| Louisiana | $23,620 | 30,920 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Food Prep Worker salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Food Prep Worker salary in the US is about $34,010 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 893,600 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Food Prep Workers the most?
- Washington has the highest median Food Prep Worker salary at $40,910 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Food Prep Workers the least?
- Louisiana has the lowest median at $23,620 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Food Preparation Workers, code 35-2021). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.