Food Preparation Workers pay range in Walla Walla
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,650 a year or less, while the top 10% make $44,850 or more. The middle half of food preparation workers in Walla Walla earn between $34,650 and $44,850.
- $35K10th
- $35K25th
- $40KMedian
- $45K75th
- $45K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $39,820 | $3,318 | $19.14 |
| Median | $40,030 | $3,336 | $19.25 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $34,650 | $2,888 | $16.66 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $44,850 | $3,738 | $21.56 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Food Preparation Workers salary after taxes in Walla Walla
On the average salary of $39,820, a single filer in Walla Walla takes home about $34,175 a year, or $2,848 a month and $1,314 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
Is Walla Walla a good place for food preparation workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Walla Walla area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.5), so the average $39,820 buys what about $40,419 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Walla Walla ($53,100). A typical home costs $419,484, or 10.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Preparation Workers salary in other Washington cities
Walla Walla ranks 8th of 11 Washington metro areas for this job; Seattle pays the most ($44,390).
- Seattle$44,390
- Bremerton$42,910
- Mount Vernon$41,420
- Bellingham$40,960
- Olympia$40,900
- Yakima$40,820
- Kennewick$39,990
- Walla Walla$39,820
- Longview$39,490
- Wenatchee$39,380
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 Walla Walla: questions
How much do food preparation workers make an hour in Walla Walla?
$19.15 an hour on average, and $19.25 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food preparation workers salary in Walla Walla?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,650 a year and the 25th percentile is $34,650, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food preparation workers take-home pay in Walla Walla?
About $34,175 a year ($2,848 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $39,820. Washington has no state income tax; Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
Do food preparation workers earn more in Walla Walla than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% 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 Walla Walla, WA (47460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.8%.
- 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 no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.42, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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