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Anchorage, AK metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Anchorage, AK?

In the Anchorage, AK metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $34,760 a year ($16.71 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,590 of these jobs there. That is 42% below the $60,200 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $30,300 and $45,680; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Alaska tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,110 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Anchorage, AK at a glance

Median salary

$34,760$16.71 per hour · $2,897 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$30,300$14.57/hr
25th percentile$33,130$15.93/hr
75th percentile$38,210$18.37/hr
90th percentile$45,680$21.96/hr
Jobs in this metro1,590Location quotient 1.57 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here42% belowAll-jobs median $60,200
Against Alaska3% belowStatewide median $35,720
Against the U.S.2% 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.

Take-home payWhat $35,000 a year leaves after tax in AlaskaFederal tax, FICA and Alaska withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$17 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $35,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $35,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Alaska publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Alaska.

Food preparation worker salary in Anchorage, AK after taxes

$34,760
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,760
Net 87%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,110After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,509Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,158Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,991 / yr
Alaska state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,659 / yr
Customize deductions in full Alaska calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Anchorage, AK, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Anchorage, AK metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AK)
10th percentile$14.57/hr$2,525$30,300$26,526
25th percentile$15.93/hr$2,761$33,130$28,800
MedianMedian$16.71/hr$2,897$34,760$30,110
75th percentile$18.37/hr$3,184$38,210$32,882
90th percentile$21.96/hr$3,807$45,680$38,884

Is $34,760 a good salary in Anchorage, AK?

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$100,505Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)105.45.4% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household34.6%of area median income

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

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Food preparation workers pay in other Alaska metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Anchorage, AK. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Anchorage, AK: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Anchorage, AK?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Anchorage, AK metro area was $34,760 in May 2025, about $2,897 a month or $16.71 an hour. Statewide, the Alaska median for this job is $35,720, so the metro pays 3% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Anchorage, AK?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Anchorage, AK was $16.71 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.57 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.96.

How many food preparation workers work in Anchorage, AK?

BLS estimated 1,590 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 9.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.57 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Anchorage, AK?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Anchorage, AK run from $30,300 at the 10th percentile to $33,130 at the 25th, $38,210 at the 75th, and $45,680 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Anchorage, AK?

On a median gross salary of $34,760, an estimated $30,110 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,158 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Alaska in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,650 (an effective rate of 13.4%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Anchorage, AK?

On the median annual salary of $34,760, gross monthly income is $2,897. After federal, FICA, and Alaska state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,509 per month (or $1,158 every two weeks).

Is $34,760 a good salary in Anchorage, AK?

At $34,760, the median salary for food preparation workers is 34.6% of the Anchorage, AK median household income ($100,505). It is 42% below the $60,200 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 105.4, so prices here run 5.4% above the U.S. average.