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Bowling Green, KY metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Bowling Green, KY?

In the Bowling Green, KY metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $26,410 a year ($12.70 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 660 of these jobs there. That is 41% below the $45,040 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $21,310 and $36,690; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Kentucky tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $22,552 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Bowling Green, KY at a glance

Median salary

$26,410$12.70 per hour · $2,201 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$21,310$10.24/hr
25th percentile$22,900$11.01/hr
75th percentile$33,040$15.89/hr
90th percentile$36,690$17.64/hr
Jobs in this metro660Location quotient 1.40 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here41% belowAll-jobs median $45,040
Against Kentucky2% belowStatewide median $26,850
Against the U.S.25% 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.

Take-home payWhat $26,000 a year leaves after tax in KentuckyFederal tax, FICA and Kentucky withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$13 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $26,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $26,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Kentucky publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Kentucky.

Food preparation worker salary in Bowling Green, KY after taxes

$26,410
$15,000$55,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$26,410
Net 85%
Fed 4%
KY 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$22,552After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,879Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$867Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,031 / yr
Kentucky state income tax$807 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,020 / yr
Customize deductions in full Kentucky calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Bowling Green, KY, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Bowling Green, KY metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (KY)
10th percentile$10.24/hr$1,776$21,310$18,531
25th percentile$11.01/hr$1,908$22,900$19,784
MedianMedian$12.70/hr$2,201$26,410$22,552
75th percentile$15.89/hr$2,753$33,040$27,689
90th percentile$17.64/hr$3,058$36,690$30,494

Is $26,410 a good salary in Bowling Green, KY?

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$63,328Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)90.29.8% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household41.7%of area median income

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

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Food preparation workers pay in other Kentucky metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Bowling Green, KY. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Bowling Green, KY: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Bowling Green, KY?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Bowling Green, KY metro area was $26,410 in May 2025, about $2,201 a month or $12.70 an hour. Statewide, the Kentucky median for this job is $26,850, so the metro pays 2% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Bowling Green, KY?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Bowling Green, KY was $12.70 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.24 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.64.

How many food preparation workers work in Bowling Green, KY?

BLS estimated 660 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 8.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.40 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Bowling Green, KY?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Bowling Green, KY run from $21,310 at the 10th percentile to $22,900 at the 25th, $33,040 at the 75th, and $36,690 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Bowling Green, KY?

On a median gross salary of $26,410, an estimated $22,552 lands in net take-home pay per year ($867 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Kentucky in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,858 (an effective rate of 14.6%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Bowling Green, KY?

On the median annual salary of $26,410, gross monthly income is $2,201. After federal, FICA, and Kentucky state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,879 per month (or $867 every two weeks).

Is $26,410 a good salary in Bowling Green, KY?

At $26,410, the median salary for food preparation workers is 41.7% of the Bowling Green, KY median household income ($63,328). It is 41% below the $45,040 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 90.2, so prices here run 9.8% below the U.S. average.