Battle Creek, MI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Battle Creek, MI?

In the Battle Creek, MI metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $29,650 a year ($14.26 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 330 of these jobs there. That is 39% below the $48,690 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $26,080 and $36,280; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Michigan tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $24,994 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Battle Creek, MI at a glance

Median salary

$29,650$14.26 per hour · $2,471 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$26,080$12.54/hr
25th percentile$26,500$12.74/hr
75th percentile$33,900$16.30/hr
90th percentile$36,280$17.44/hr
Jobs in this metro330Location quotient 1.05 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here39% belowAll-jobs median $48,690
Against Michigan5% belowStatewide median $31,180
Against the U.S.16% 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 Battle Creek, MI after taxes

$29,650
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$29,650
Net 84%
Fed 5%
MI 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$24,994After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,083Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$961Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,378 / yr
Michigan state income tax$1,009 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,268 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Battle Creek, MI, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Battle Creek, MI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MI)
10th percentile$12.54/hr$2,173$26,080$22,229
25th percentile$12.74/hr$2,208$26,500$22,557
MedianMedian$14.26/hr$2,471$29,650$24,994
75th percentile$16.30/hr$2,825$33,900$28,229
90th percentile$17.44/hr$3,023$36,280$30,040

Is $29,650 a good salary in Battle Creek, MI?

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$63,177Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)90.59.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household46.9%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Battle Creek, MI: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Battle Creek, MI?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Battle Creek, MI metro area was $29,650 in May 2025, about $2,471 a month or $14.26 an hour. Statewide, the Michigan median for this job is $31,180, so the metro pays 5% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Battle Creek, MI?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Battle Creek, MI was $14.26 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.54 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.44.

How many food preparation workers work in Battle Creek, MI?

BLS estimated 330 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.05 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Battle Creek, MI?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Battle Creek, MI run from $26,080 at the 10th percentile to $26,500 at the 25th, $33,900 at the 75th, and $36,280 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Battle Creek, MI?

On a median gross salary of $29,650, an estimated $24,994 lands in net take-home pay per year ($961 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Michigan in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,656 (an effective rate of 15.7%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Battle Creek, MI?

On the median annual salary of $29,650, gross monthly income is $2,471. After federal, FICA, and Michigan state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,083 per month (or $961 every two weeks).

Is $29,650 a good salary in Battle Creek, MI?

At $29,650, the median salary for food preparation workers is 46.9% of the Battle Creek, MI median household income ($63,177). It is 39% below the $48,690 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 90.5, so prices here run 9.5% below the U.S. average.