Akron, OH metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Akron, OH?

In the Akron, OH metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $35,010 a year ($16.83 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,110 of these jobs there. That is 28% below the $48,840 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $26,410 and $45,620; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Ohio tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,798 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Akron, OH at a glance

Median salary

$35,010$16.83 per hour · $2,918 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$26,410$12.70/hr
25th percentile$28,550$13.72/hr
75th percentile$38,490$18.51/hr
90th percentile$45,620$21.93/hr
Jobs in this metro1,110Location quotient 0.60 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here28% belowAll-jobs median $48,840
Against Ohio1% aboveStatewide median $34,530
Against the U.S.1% belowNational median $35,320

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Food preparation worker salary in Akron, OH after taxes

$35,010
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$35,010
Net 85%
Fed 6%
OH 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,798After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,483Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,146Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,021 / yr
Ohio state income tax$512 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,678 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Akron, OH, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Akron, OH metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What food preparation workers earned in the Akron, OH metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (OH)
10th percentile$12.70/hr$2,201$26,410$23,359
25th percentile$13.72/hr$2,379$28,550$24,785
MedianMedian$16.83/hr$2,918$35,010$29,798
75th percentile$18.51/hr$3,208$38,490$32,499
90th percentile$21.93/hr$3,802$45,620$38,025

Is $35,010 a good salary in Akron, OH?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for food preparation workers next to both.

Median household income$72,371Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.46.6% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household48.4%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Food preparation worker pay in Akron, OH: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Akron, OH?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Akron, OH metro area was $35,010 in May 2025, about $2,918 a month or $16.83 an hour. Statewide, the Ohio median for this job is $34,530, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Akron, OH?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Akron, OH was $16.83 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.70 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.93.

How many food preparation workers work in Akron, OH?

BLS estimated 1,110 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 3.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.60 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Akron, OH?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Akron, OH run from $26,410 at the 10th percentile to $28,550 at the 25th, $38,490 at the 75th, and $45,620 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Akron, OH?

On a median gross salary of $35,010, an estimated $29,798 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,146 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Ohio in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,212 (an effective rate of 14.9%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Akron, OH?

On the median annual salary of $35,010, gross monthly income is $2,918. After federal, FICA, and Ohio state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,483 per month (or $1,146 every two weeks).

Is $35,010 a good salary in Akron, OH?

At $35,010, the median salary for food preparation workers is 48.4% of the Akron, OH median household income ($72,371). It is 28% below the $48,840 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.4, so prices here run 6.6% below the U.S. average.