Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

In the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $37,090 a year ($17.83 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,950 of these jobs there. That is 22% below the $47,470 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $34,320 and $42,870; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and California tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,516 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Bakersfield-Delano, CA at a glance

Median salary

$37,090$17.83 per hour · $3,091 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$34,320$16.50/hr
25th percentile$34,660$16.66/hr
75th percentile$42,800$20.58/hr
90th percentile$42,870$20.61/hr
Jobs in this metro1,950Location quotient 1.00 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here22% belowAll-jobs median $47,470
Against California6% belowStatewide median $39,350
Against the U.S.5% aboveNational median $35,320

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

Food preparation worker salary in Bakersfield-Delano, CA after taxes

$37,090
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,090
Net 85%
Fed 6%
CA 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,516After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,626Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,212Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,271 / yr
California state income tax$466 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,837 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Bakersfield-Delano, CA, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CA)
10th percentile$16.50/hr$2,860$34,320$29,401
25th percentile$16.66/hr$2,888$34,660$29,660
MedianMedian$17.83/hr$3,091$37,090$31,516
75th percentile$20.58/hr$3,567$42,800$35,875
90th percentile$20.61/hr$3,573$42,870$35,929

Is $37,090 a good salary in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

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$70,210Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)100.90.9% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household52.8%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Bakersfield-Delano, CA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area was $37,090 in May 2025, about $3,091 a month or $17.83 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $39,350, so the metro pays 6% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Bakersfield-Delano, CA was $17.83 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.50 an hour and one in ten earned more than $20.61.

How many food preparation workers work in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

BLS estimated 1,950 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.00 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 Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Bakersfield-Delano, CA run from $34,320 at the 10th percentile to $34,660 at the 25th, $42,800 at the 75th, and $42,870 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

On a median gross salary of $37,090, an estimated $31,516 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,212 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,574 (an effective rate of 15%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

On the median annual salary of $37,090, gross monthly income is $3,091. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,626 per month (or $1,212 every two weeks).

Is $37,090 a good salary in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

At $37,090, the median salary for food preparation workers is 52.8% of the Bakersfield-Delano, CA median household income ($70,210). It is 22% below the $47,470 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 100.9, so prices here run 0.9% above the U.S. average.