Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA?

In the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $36,090 a year ($17.35 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 17,060 of these jobs there. That is 29% below the $51,170 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $27,910 and $42,010; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Georgia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,126 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA at a glance

Median salary

$36,090$17.35 per hour · $3,008 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$27,910$13.42/hr
25th percentile$30,940$14.87/hr
75th percentile$38,010$18.27/hr
90th percentile$42,010$20.20/hr
Jobs in this metro17,060Location quotient 1.03 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here29% belowAll-jobs median $51,170
Against Georgia2% aboveStatewide median $35,250
Against the U.S.2% aboveNational 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA after taxes

$36,090
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,090
Net 83%
Fed 6%
GA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,126After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,510Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,159Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,151 / yr
Georgia state income tax$1,052 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,761 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What food preparation workers earned in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (GA)
10th percentile$13.42/hr$2,326$27,910$23,950
25th percentile$14.87/hr$2,578$30,940$26,245
MedianMedian$17.35/hr$3,008$36,090$30,126
75th percentile$18.27/hr$3,168$38,010$31,573
90th percentile$20.20/hr$3,501$42,010$34,587

Is $36,090 a good salary in Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA?

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$89,724Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)100.10.1% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household40.2%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area was $36,090 in May 2025, about $3,008 a month or $17.35 an hour. Statewide, the Georgia median for this job is $35,250, so the metro pays 2% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA was $17.35 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.42 an hour and one in ten earned more than $20.20.

How many food preparation workers work in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?

BLS estimated 17,060 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.03 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA run from $27,910 at the 10th percentile to $30,940 at the 25th, $38,010 at the 75th, and $42,010 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?

On a median gross salary of $36,090, an estimated $30,126 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,159 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Georgia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,964 (an effective rate of 16.5%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?

On the median annual salary of $36,090, gross monthly income is $3,008. After federal, FICA, and Georgia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,510 per month (or $1,159 every two weeks).

Is $36,090 a good salary in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?

At $36,090, the median salary for food preparation workers is 40.2% of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA median household income ($89,724). It is 29% below the $51,170 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 100.1, so prices here run 0.1% above the U.S. average.