Food Preparation Workers pay range in Redding
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,320 a year or less, while the top 10% make $44,390 or more. The middle half of food preparation workers in Redding earn between $34,680 and $39,400.
- $34K10th
- $35K25th
- $36KMedian
- $39K75th
- $44K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $38,290 | $3,191 | $18.41 |
| Median | $36,400 | $3,033 | $17.50 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $34,680 | $2,890 | $16.67 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $39,400 | $3,283 | $18.94 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Food Preparation Workers salary after taxes in Redding
On the average salary of $38,290, a single filer in Redding takes home about $32,279 a year, or $2,690 a month and $1,241 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Redding a good place for food preparation workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Redding area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 100.7), so the average $38,290 buys what about $38,030 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Redding ($48,920). A typical home costs $375,604, or 9.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Preparation Workers salary in other California cities
Redding ranks 25th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($45,660).
- San Jose$45,660
- Napa$44,240
- Santa Rosa$43,450
- San Francisco$43,290
- Santa Cruz$42,060
- Vallejo$41,390
- San Luis Obispo$41,340
- Los Angeles$41,220
- Salinas$41,130
- Redding$38,290
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 Redding: questions
How much do food preparation workers make an hour in Redding?
$18.41 an hour on average, and $17.50 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food preparation workers salary in Redding?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,320 a year and the 25th percentile is $34,680, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food preparation workers take-home pay in Redding?
About $32,279 a year ($2,690 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $38,290. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do food preparation workers earn more in Redding than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% 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 Redding, CA (39820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.8%.
- 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.02, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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