Food Preparation Workers

SOC 35-2020

The median annual wage for Food Preparation Workers is $32,420, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $32,960, and an estimated 879,610 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +24.4% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of +5.6% after inflation.

Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment

How the national median wage for Food Preparation Workers has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.

National median wage trend for Food Preparation Workers, nominal and inflation-adjusted, BLS OEWS.
Year	Median (nominal)	In 2023 $ (real)	Employment
2023	$32,420	$32,420	879,610
2022	$29,790	$31,016	904,330
2021	$28,780	$32,363	783,350
2020	$26,070	$30,693	793,590

Nominal change

+24.4%

Inflation (CPI)

+17.7%

Real change

+5.6%

Wage Distribution (National, 2023)

10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.

10th Pct

$22,970

25th Pct

$27,920

Median

$32,420

75th Pct

$36,780

90th Pct

$42,990

Related Occupations in Food Preparation & Serving

Other occupations in the same SOC major group, ranked by national median wage.

Chefs and Head Cooks $58,920 Cooks, Private Household $42,590 First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $38,520 Fast Food and Counter Workers $37,379 Cooks, All Other $35,920 Cooks, Restaurant $35,780 Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $35,320 Cooks, Short Order $34,130

All Food Preparation & Serving occupations →

Compare with another occupation All H-1B Employers