Food Preparation Workers pay range in Decatur
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $21,500 a year or less, while the top 10% make $37,320 or more. The middle half of food preparation workers in Decatur earn between $21,910 and $35,480.
- $22K10th
- $22K25th
- $28KMedian
- $35K75th
- $37K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $28,690 | $2,391 | $13.79 |
| Median | $28,180 | $2,348 | $13.55 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $21,910 | $1,826 | $10.53 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $35,480 | $2,957 | $17.06 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Food Preparation Workers salary after taxes in Decatur
On the average salary of $28,690, a single filer in Decatur takes home about $24,119 a year, or $2,010 a month and $928 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Is Decatur a good place for food preparation workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Decatur area are 13% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.2), so the average $28,690 buys what about $32,897 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Decatur ($46,280). A typical home costs $232,614, or 8.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Preparation Workers salary in other Alabama cities
Decatur ranks 4th of 12 Alabama metro areas for this job; Huntsville pays the most ($30,590).
- Huntsville$30,590
- Birmingham$30,230
- Daphne$28,970
- Decatur$28,690
- Tuscaloosa$28,600
- Auburn$28,560
- Mobile$28,400
- Florence$27,410
- Montgomery$27,200
- Anniston$26,570
Highest-paying cities for food preparation workers
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($48,150).
- Kahului, HI$48,150
- San Jose, CA$45,660
- Seattle, WA$44,390
- Napa, CA$44,240
- Santa Rosa, CA$43,450
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Food Preparation Workers salary in Decatur: questions
How much do food preparation workers make an hour in Decatur?
$13.79 an hour on average, and $13.55 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food preparation workers salary in Decatur?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $21,500 a year and the 25th percentile is $21,910, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food preparation workers take-home pay in Decatur?
About $24,119 a year ($2,010 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $28,690. City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Do food preparation workers earn more in Decatur than elsewhere?
The average here is 20% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($35,748).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-2021; area Decatur, AL (19460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.6%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.23, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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