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Food Prep salary
Average food prep salary
$12.42
How much does a food prep make?
The average food prep salary in the United States is $25,840. Food prep salaries typically range between $19,000 and $35,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for food preps is $12.42 per hour.
Food prep salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Food preps earn the highest average salary in Massachusetts.
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Where can a Food Prep earn more?
Food Prep salary estimates from across the web
Average food prep salary by state
Highest paying states for food preps
Rank  | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $28,993 | $13.94 |
| 2 | Maine | $29,298 | $14.09 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $32,244 | $15.50 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $25,116 | $12.07 |
| 5 | Washington | $27,496 | $13.22 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $29,604 | $14.23 |
| 7 | Texas | $25,557 | $12.29 |
| 8 | Vermont | $30,421 | $14.63 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $27,681 | $13.31 |
| 10 | New York | $28,149 | $13.53 |
| 11 | Utah | $24,595 | $11.82 |
| 12 | Kansas | $23,807 | $11.45 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $27,708 | $13.32 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $22,897 | $11.01 |
| 15 | Kentucky | $23,140 | $11.13 |
| 16 | Indiana | $22,896 | $11.01 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $24,441 | $11.75 |
| 18 | Arizona | $24,177 | $11.62 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $23,681 | $11.39 |
| 20 | California | $27,426 | $13.19 |
| 21 | Idaho | $24,974 | $12.01 |
| 22 | Illinois | $24,943 | $11.99 |
| 23 | Colorado | $25,702 | $12.36 |
| 24 | Maryland | $26,979 | $12.97 |
| 25 | Oregon | $25,782 | $12.40 |
| 26 | Ohio | $22,622 | $10.88 |
| 27 | Missouri | $24,267 | $11.67 |
| 28 | Michigan | $22,305 | $10.72 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $22,965 | $11.04 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $26,835 | $12.90 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $22,049 | $10.60 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $24,223 | $11.65 |
| 33 | Georgia | $22,797 | $10.96 |
| 34 | Alabama | $22,590 | $10.86 |
| 35 | Alaska | $20,946 | $10.07 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $21,826 | $10.49 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $23,442 | $11.27 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $22,831 | $10.98 |
| 39 | Iowa | $22,424 | $10.78 |
| 40 | Delaware | $22,261 | $10.70 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $22,040 | $10.60 |
| 42 | Florida | $21,061 | $10.13 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $20,572 | $9.89 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $20,936 | $10.07 |
| 45 | Nevada | $21,988 | $10.57 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $20,803 | $10.00 |
| 47 | Montana | $22,304 | $10.72 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $21,065 | $10.13 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $20,435 | $9.82 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $22,914 | $11.02 |
| 51 | Virginia | $21,397 | $10.29 |
Highest paying cities for food preps
The highest-paying cities for food preps are Boston, MA, Hackensack, NJ, and Portland, ME.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $32,273 | $15.52 |
| 2 | Hackensack, NJ | $29,460 | $14.16 |
| 3 | Portland, ME | $29,268 | $14.07 |
| 4 | Rochester, NY | $29,015 | $13.95 |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | $27,492 | $13.22 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $27,465 | $13.20 |
| 7 | Columbia, MD | $26,965 | $12.96 |
| 8 | Portland, OR | $25,689 | $12.35 |
| 9 | Colorado Springs, CO | $25,673 | $12.34 |
| 10 | Dallas, TX | $25,587 | $12.30 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $25,006 | $12.02 |
| 12 | Salt Lake City, UT | $24,640 | $11.85 |
| 13 | Columbia, MO | $24,318 | $11.69 |
| 14 | Rochester, MN | $24,177 | $11.62 |
| 15 | Phoenix, AZ | $24,134 | $11.60 |
| 16 | Fargo, ND | $22,936 | $11.03 |
| 17 | Columbia, TN | $22,914 | $11.02 |
| 18 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $22,876 | $11.00 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $22,821 | $10.97 |
| 20 | Detroit, MI | $22,322 | $10.73 |
Food Preps are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Food Prep salary details
A food prep's salary ranges from $19,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $35,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a food prep's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 75th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| Average | $25,840 | $2,153 | $12 |
| 25th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
| 10th Percentile | $19,000 | $1,583 | $9 |
Highest paying food prep jobs
The highest paying types of food preps are associate food scientist, grill cook/prep, and food handler.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen Staff | $29,816 | $2,485 | $14.33 | 154,513 |
| Prep Cook/Dishwasher | $31,687 | $2,641 | $15.23 | 126,351 |
| Line Server | $28,300 | $2,358 | $13.61 | 246,165 |
| Mexican Food Cook | $31,039 | $2,587 | $14.92 | 275,588 |
| Cook/Server | $29,716 | $2,476 | $14.29 | 257,582 |
| Prep Cook | $32,292 | $2,691 | $15.53 | 168,265 |
Top companies hiring food preps now:
Which companies pay food preps the most?
Food prep salaries at Grand Ledge High School and Target are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average food prep salary at companies like Brigham and Women's Hospital and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Ledge High School | $38,798 | $18.65 |
| 2 | Target | $36,762 | $17.67 |
| 3 | Brigham and Women's Hospital | $35,177 | $16.91 |
| 4 | Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital | $34,201 | $16.44 |
| 5 | Bertucci's | $33,457 | $16.09 |
| 6 | DoorDash | $33,107 | $15.92 |
| 7 | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | $32,865 | $15.80 |
| 8 | P&S Surgical Hospital | $32,636 | $15.69 |
| 9 | Mercy Corps | $32,479 | $15.61 |
| 10 | Massachusetts General Hospital | $32,351 | $15.55 |
| 11 | FirstEnergy | $32,179 | $15.47 |
| 12 | PCC Community Markets | $32,068 | $15.42 |
| 13 | NBCUniversal | $31,959 | $15.36 |
| 14 | Compass Group USA | $31,829 | $15.30 |
| 15 | Nordstrom | $31,821 | $15.30 |
| 16 | The Field Museum | $31,818 | $15.30 |
| 17 | Hackensack Meridian Health | $31,816 | $15.30 |
| 18 | BayCare Health System | $31,728 | $15.25 |
| 19 | UC Health | $31,698 | $15.24 |
| 20 | Trinity Health | $31,693 | $15.24 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Food Prep salary trends
The average food prep salary has risen by $5,839 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average food prep earned $20,001 annually, but today, they earn $25,840 a year. That works out to a 21% change in pay for food preps over the last decade.
Compare food prep salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average food prep salary over time
Compare food prep salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
- Columbus, OH
Food Prep salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $25,800 | $12.42 | +4.7% |
| 2024 | $24,600 | $11.84 | +5.4% |
| 2023 | $23,300 | $11.21 | +5.0% |
| 2022 | $22,100 | $10.64 | +3.7% |
| 2021 | $21,300 | $10.25 | +2.7% |
Recently added food prep salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State of Illinois | Corrections Food Service Supv I | Hillsboro, IL | 12/18/2024 | $62,532 |
| Staffworks | Event Food Service Staff | Syracuse, NY | 12/17/2024 | $37,566 |
| McDonald's | Opening Shifts at 4Am-5Am, Cashier, Drive Thru, Cook, Grill Person | Hillsborough, NC | 12/16/2024 | $26,088 |
| Compass Group | Food Service Concession and 1364429 | Las Vegas, NV | 12/16/2024 | $33,392 |
| Unified School District #233 Johnson County State of Kansas | Food Services Staff-Central AM PM | Olathe, KS | 12/16/2024 | $31,305 |
| Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches | Food Prep | Tulsa, OK | 12/16/2024 | $28,488 |
| Spencerportschools | Food Service (3) | Spencerport, NY | 12/16/2024 | $32,474 |
| Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches | Food Prep | Denver, CO | 12/16/2024 | $28,488 |
| Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma | Food Service-Coalgate Country Market | Coalgate, OK | 12/15/2024 | $27,131 |
| Hyde Park Hospitality | Food Prep-Airport Lounge | Kenner, LA | 12/15/2024 | $34,957 |
Food Prep salary FAQs
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