Food Preparation Workers pay range in Montgomery
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $20,820 a year or less, while the top 10% make $35,990 or more. The middle half of food preparation workers in Montgomery earn between $20,870 and $32,170.
- $21K10th
- $21K25th
- $27KMedian
- $32K75th
- $36K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $27,200 | $2,267 | $13.08 |
| Median | $27,420 | $2,285 | $13.18 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $20,870 | $1,739 | $10.03 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $32,170 | $2,681 | $15.47 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Food Preparation Workers salary after taxes in Montgomery
On the average salary of $27,200, a single filer in Montgomery takes home about $22,966 a year, or $1,914 a month and $883 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 Montgomery a good place for food preparation workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Montgomery area are 10% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.7), so the average $27,200 buys what about $30,329 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Montgomery ($44,950). A typical home costs $214,099, or 7.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Preparation Workers salary in other Alabama cities
Montgomery ranks 9th 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 Montgomery: questions
How much do food preparation workers make an hour in Montgomery?
$13.08 an hour on average, and $13.18 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food preparation workers salary in Montgomery?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $20,820 a year and the 25th percentile is $20,870, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food preparation workers take-home pay in Montgomery?
About $22,966 a year ($1,914 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $27,200. City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Do food preparation workers earn more in Montgomery than elsewhere?
The average here is 24% 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 Montgomery, AL (33860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.1%.
- 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 1.54, this job is 1.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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