Food Preparation Workers pay range in Medford
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,910 a year or less, while the top 10% make $47,550 or more. The middle half of food preparation workers in Medford earn between $33,100 and $38,990.
- $31K10th
- $33K25th
- $35KMedian
- $39K75th
- $48K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $37,700 | $3,142 | $18.12 |
| Median | $35,440 | $2,953 | $17.04 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $33,100 | $2,758 | $15.91 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $38,990 | $3,249 | $18.75 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Food Preparation Workers salary after taxes in Medford
On the average salary of $37,700, a single filer in Medford takes home about $29,936 a year, or $2,495 a month and $1,151 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Is Medford a good place for food preparation workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Medford area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 101.4), so the average $37,700 buys what about $37,167 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Medford ($49,900). A typical home costs $439,493, or 11.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Preparation Workers salary in other Oregon cities
Medford ranks 5th of 8 Oregon metro areas for this job; Portland pays the most ($41,410).
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 Medford: questions
How much do food preparation workers make an hour in Medford?
$18.12 an hour on average, and $17.04 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food preparation workers salary in Medford?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,910 a year and the 25th percentile is $33,100, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food preparation workers take-home pay in Medford?
About $29,936 a year ($2,495 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $37,700. Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Do food preparation workers earn more in Medford than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% 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 Medford, OR (32780). 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 (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.99, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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