Food Preparation Workers pay range in Phoenix
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,730 a year or less, while the top 10% make $44,640 or more. The middle half of food preparation workers in Phoenix earn between $34,600 and $41,320.
- $32K10th
- $35K25th
- $38KMedian
- $41K75th
- $45K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $38,500 | $3,208 | $18.51 |
| Median | $37,580 | $3,132 | $18.07 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $34,600 | $2,883 | $16.63 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $41,320 | $3,443 | $19.87 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Food Preparation Workers salary after taxes in Phoenix
On the average salary of $38,500, a single filer in Phoenix takes home about $32,546 a year, or $2,712 a month and $1,252 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Phoenix a good place for food preparation workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Phoenix area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.3), so the average $38,500 buys what about $37,264 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Phoenix ($51,380). A typical home costs $448,352, or 11.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Preparation Workers salary in other Arizona cities
Phoenix ranks 1st of 7 Arizona metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Phoenix$38,500
- Flagstaff$38,030
- Prescott Valley$36,380
- Tucson$35,990
- Yuma$35,430
- Lake Havasu City$35,220
- Sierra Vista$34,050
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 Phoenix: questions
How much do food preparation workers make an hour in Phoenix?
$18.51 an hour on average, and $18.07 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food preparation workers salary in Phoenix?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,730 a year and the 25th percentile is $34,600, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food preparation workers take-home pay in Phoenix?
About $32,546 a year ($2,712 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $38,500.
Do food preparation workers earn more in Phoenix than elsewhere?
The average here is 8% more 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ (38060). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.87, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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