Food Preparation Workers pay range in Columbus
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $20,740 a year or less, while the top 10% make $35,910 or more. The middle half of food preparation workers in Columbus earn between $22,110 and $33,450.
- $21K10th
- $22K25th
- $29KMedian
- $33K75th
- $36K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $28,570 | $2,381 | $13.74 |
| Median | $29,030 | $2,419 | $13.96 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $22,110 | $1,842 | $10.63 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $33,450 | $2,788 | $16.08 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Food Preparation Workers salary after taxes in Columbus
On the average salary of $28,570, a single filer in Columbus takes home about $24,459 a year, or $2,038 a month and $941 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
The Columbus, GA-AL metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in GA | $24,459 | $2,038 |
| Working in AL | $24,027 | $2,002 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Columbus a good place for food preparation workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbus area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.3), so the average $28,570 buys what about $31,995 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbus ($43,540). A typical home costs $209,527, or 7.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Preparation Workers salary in other Georgia cities
Columbus ranks 14th of 14 Georgia metro areas for this job; Atlanta pays the most ($35,390).
- Atlanta$35,390
- Gainesville$34,260
- Savannah$33,290
- Warner Robins$32,190
- Augusta$31,740
- Macon$31,440
- Athens$31,430
- Brunswick$31,410
- Albany$30,730
- Columbus$28,570
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 Columbus: questions
How much do food preparation workers make an hour in Columbus?
$13.73 an hour on average, and $13.96 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food preparation workers salary in Columbus?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $20,740 a year and the 25th percentile is $22,110, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food preparation workers take-home pay in Columbus?
About $24,459 a year ($2,038 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $28,570.
Do food preparation workers earn more in Columbus 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 Columbus, GA-AL (17980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.0%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.24, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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