Food preparation worker pay in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA at a glance
Median salary
$33,430$16.07 per hour · $2,786 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Food preparation worker salary in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA after taxes
Food preparation workers pay range in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (NJ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $13.00/hr | $2,253 | $27,040 | $23,492 |
| 25th percentile | $14.48/hr | $2,510 | $30,120 | $25,942 |
| MedianMedian | $16.07/hr | $2,786 | $33,430 | $28,543 |
| 75th percentile | $17.90/hr | $3,103 | $37,230 | $31,509 |
| 90th percentile | $19.92/hr | $3,453 | $41,430 | $34,728 |
Is $33,430 a good salary in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA?
It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for food preparation workers next to both.
Food preparation workers pay in New Jersey and across the U.S.
The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.
Food preparation worker pay in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA: common questions
What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?
The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area was $33,430 in May 2025, about $2,786 a month or $16.07 an hour. Statewide, the New Jersey median for this job is $35,540, so the metro pays 6% below the state.
What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?
The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ was $16.07 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.00 an hour and one in ten earned more than $19.92.
How many food preparation workers work in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?
BLS estimated 1,360 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 3.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.63 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?
BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ run from $27,040 at the 10th percentile to $30,120 at the 25th, $37,230 at the 75th, and $41,430 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?
On a median gross salary of $33,430, an estimated $28,543 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,098 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in New Jersey in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,887 (an effective rate of 14.6%).
How much do food preparation workers make per month in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?
On the median annual salary of $33,430, gross monthly income is $2,786. After federal, FICA, and New Jersey state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,379 per month (or $1,098 every two weeks).
Is $33,430 a good salary in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?
At $33,430, the median salary for food preparation workers is 39.5% of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ median household income ($84,587). It is 32% below the $48,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 100.0, so prices here run 0% above the U.S. average.