Beckley, WV metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Beckley, WV?

In the Beckley, WV metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $29,290 a year ($14.08 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 250 of these jobs there. That is 30% below the $41,850 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $21,230 and $33,820; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and West Virginia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $25,010 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Beckley, WV at a glance

Median salary

$29,290$14.08 per hour · $2,441 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$21,230$10.21/hr
25th percentile$22,890$11.01/hr
75th percentile$31,380$15.09/hr
90th percentile$33,820$16.26/hr
Jobs in this metro250Location quotient 0.99 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here30% belowAll-jobs median $41,850
Against West Virginia3% aboveStatewide median $28,360
Against the U.S.17% belowNational 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 Beckley, WV after taxes

$29,290
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$29,290
Net 85%
Fed 5%
WV 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$25,010After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,084Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$962Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,335 / yr
West Virginia state income tax$705 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,241 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Beckley, WV, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Beckley, WV metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WV)
10th percentile$10.21/hr$1,769$21,230$18,623
25th percentile$11.01/hr$1,908$22,890$19,943
MedianMedian$14.08/hr$2,441$29,290$25,010
75th percentile$15.09/hr$2,615$31,380$26,623
90th percentile$16.26/hr$2,818$33,820$28,506

Is $29,290 a good salary in Beckley, WV?

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$52,620Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.411.6% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household55.7%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Beckley, WV: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Beckley, WV?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Beckley, WV metro area was $29,290 in May 2025, about $2,441 a month or $14.08 an hour. Statewide, the West Virginia median for this job is $28,360, so the metro pays 3% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Beckley, WV?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Beckley, WV was $14.08 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.21 an hour and one in ten earned more than $16.26.

How many food preparation workers work in Beckley, WV?

BLS estimated 250 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.99 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 Beckley, WV?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Beckley, WV run from $21,230 at the 10th percentile to $22,890 at the 25th, $31,380 at the 75th, and $33,820 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Beckley, WV?

On a median gross salary of $29,290, an estimated $25,010 lands in net take-home pay per year ($962 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in West Virginia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,280 (an effective rate of 14.6%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Beckley, WV?

On the median annual salary of $29,290, gross monthly income is $2,441. After federal, FICA, and West Virginia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,084 per month (or $962 every two weeks).

Is $29,290 a good salary in Beckley, WV?

At $29,290, the median salary for food preparation workers is 55.7% of the Beckley, WV median household income ($52,620). It is 30% below the $41,850 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.4, so prices here run 11.6% below the U.S. average.