Food Preparation Workers pay range in Denver
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,800 a year or less, while the top 10% make $48,600 or more. The middle half of food preparation workers in Denver earn between $35,590 and $44,890.
- $31K10th
- $36K25th
- $39KMedian
- $45K75th
- $49K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $40,470 | $3,372 | $19.46 |
| Median | $39,470 | $3,289 | $18.98 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $35,590 | $2,966 | $17.11 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $44,890 | $3,741 | $21.58 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Food Preparation Workers salary after taxes in Denver
On the average salary of $40,470, a single filer in Denver takes home about $33,625 a year, or $2,802 a month and $1,293 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Denver a good place for food preparation workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Denver area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.8), so the average $40,470 buys what about $38,258 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Denver ($62,320). A typical home costs $573,221, or 14.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Preparation Workers salary in other Colorado cities
Denver ranks 2nd of 7 Colorado metro areas for this job; Boulder pays the most ($41,960).
- Boulder$41,960
- Denver$40,470
- Greeley$40,080
- Colorado Springs$39,300
- Fort Collins$37,800
- Grand Junction$36,850
- Pueblo$36,810
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 Denver: questions
How much do food preparation workers make an hour in Denver?
$19.46 an hour on average, and $18.98 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food preparation workers salary in Denver?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,800 a year and the 25th percentile is $35,590, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food preparation workers take-home pay in Denver?
About $33,625 a year ($2,802 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $40,470. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do food preparation workers earn more in Denver than elsewhere?
The average here is 13% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (19740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.0%.
- 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). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.72, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.72).
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