Food Preparation Workers pay range in Waterloo
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,950 a year or less, while the top 10% make $40,760 or more. The middle half of food preparation workers in Waterloo earn between $28,410 and $37,230.
- $24K10th
- $28K25th
- $32KMedian
- $37K75th
- $41K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $32,330 | $2,694 | $15.54 |
| Median | $32,050 | $2,671 | $15.41 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $28,410 | $2,368 | $13.66 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $37,230 | $3,102 | $17.90 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Food Preparation Workers salary after taxes in Waterloo
On the average salary of $32,330, a single filer in Waterloo takes home about $27,540 a year, or $2,295 a month and $1,059 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). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Is Waterloo a good place for food preparation workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Waterloo area are 13% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.1), so the average $32,330 buys what about $37,137 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Waterloo ($47,430). A typical home costs $200,191, or 6.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Preparation Workers salary in other Iowa cities
Waterloo ranks 7th of 8 Iowa metro areas for this job; Iowa City pays the most ($34,960).
- Iowa City$34,960
- Des Moines$34,780
- Dubuque$34,020
- Davenport$32,640
- Ames$32,560
- Sioux City$32,510
- Waterloo$32,330
- Cedar Rapids$31,920
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 Waterloo: questions
How much do food preparation workers make an hour in Waterloo?
$15.54 an hour on average, and $15.41 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food preparation workers salary in Waterloo?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,950 a year and the 25th percentile is $28,410, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food preparation workers take-home pay in Waterloo?
About $27,540 a year ($2,295 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $32,330. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Do food preparation workers earn more in Waterloo than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA (47940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- 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). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.34, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.34).
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