Food preparation worker pay in Boulder, CO at a glance
Median salary
$39,690$19.08 per hour · $3,308 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Food preparation worker salary in Boulder, CO after taxes
Food preparation workers pay range in Boulder, CO, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Boulder, CO metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (CO) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $15.04/hr | $2,608 | $31,290 | $26,653 |
| 25th percentile | $17.64/hr | $3,058 | $36,700 | $30,762 |
| MedianMedian | $19.08/hr | $3,308 | $39,690 | $33,033 |
| 75th percentile | $21.99/hr | $3,811 | $45,730 | $37,620 |
| 90th percentile | $24.14/hr | $4,183 | $50,200 | $41,015 |
Is $39,690 a good salary in Boulder, CO?
It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for food preparation workers next to both.
Food preparation workers pay in Colorado and across the U.S.
The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.
Food preparation worker pay in Boulder, CO: common questions
What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Boulder, CO?
The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Boulder, CO metro area was $39,690 in May 2025, about $3,308 a month or $19.08 an hour. Statewide, the Colorado median for this job is $38,960, so the metro pays 2% above the state.
What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Boulder, CO?
The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Boulder, CO was $19.08 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $15.04 an hour and one in ten earned more than $24.14.
How many food preparation workers work in Boulder, CO?
BLS estimated 650 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 3.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.59 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Boulder, CO?
BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Boulder, CO run from $31,290 at the 10th percentile to $36,700 at the 25th, $45,730 at the 75th, and $50,200 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Boulder, CO?
On a median gross salary of $39,690, an estimated $33,033 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,271 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Colorado in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,657 (an effective rate of 16.8%).
How much do food preparation workers make per month in Boulder, CO?
On the median annual salary of $39,690, gross monthly income is $3,308. After federal, FICA, and Colorado state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,753 per month (or $1,271 every two weeks).
Is $39,690 a good salary in Boulder, CO?
At $39,690, the median salary for food preparation workers is 38.2% of the Boulder, CO median household income ($103,994). It is 43% below the $69,580 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 105.2, so prices here run 5.2% above the U.S. average.