Food Preparation Workers pay range in Salt Lake City
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,240 a year or less, while the top 10% make $43,620 or more. The middle half of food preparation workers in Salt Lake City earn between $30,630 and $38,260.
- $27K10th
- $31K25th
- $33KMedian
- $38K75th
- $44K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $34,770 | $2,898 | $16.72 |
| Median | $33,370 | $2,781 | $16.04 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $30,630 | $2,552 | $14.73 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $38,260 | $3,188 | $18.39 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Food Preparation Workers pay in Salt Lake City vs. Utah and the U.S.
Food preparation workers in Salt Lake City earn about the same as the Utah average ($34,580) and about the same as the U.S. average ($35,290). At the median the gap is -6% against the U.S. median of $35,320.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City | $34,770 | $33,370 | $27,240 | $43,620 | 4,880 |
| Utah | $34,580 | $33,540 | $26,740 | $45,290 | 10,530 |
| United States | $35,290 | $35,320 | $25,810 | $45,340 | 893,600 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Food Preparation Workers salary after taxes in Salt Lake City
On the average salary of $34,770, a single filer in Salt Lake City takes home about $28,725 a year, or $2,394 a month and $1,105 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). Utah's taxpayer credit is estimated with the Tax Commission's withholding formula.
Is Salt Lake City a good place for food preparation workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Salt Lake City area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 100.9), so the average $34,770 buys what about $34,471 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Salt Lake City ($55,240). A typical home costs $568,656, or 16.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Preparation Workers salary in other Utah cities
Salt Lake City ranks 1st of 5 Utah metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Salt Lake City$34,770
- Ogden$34,430
- St. George$34,160
- Provo$33,920
- Logan$31,810
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 Salt Lake City: questions
How much do food preparation workers make an hour in Salt Lake City?
$16.72 an hour on average, and $16.04 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food preparation workers salary in Salt Lake City?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,240 a year and the 25th percentile is $30,630, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food preparation workers take-home pay in Salt Lake City?
About $28,725 a year ($2,394 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $34,770. Utah's taxpayer credit is estimated with the Tax Commission's withholding formula.
Do food preparation workers earn more in Salt Lake City than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($35,290).
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 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT (41620). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- 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). Utah's taxpayer credit is estimated with the Tax Commission's withholding formula.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.03, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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