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Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

In the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $36,560 a year ($17.58 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,460 of these jobs there. That is 22% below the $46,780 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $28,310 and $44,380; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Florida tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,556 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL at a glance

Median salary

$36,560$17.58 per hour · $3,047 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$28,310$13.61/hr
25th percentile$29,450$14.16/hr
75th percentile$38,150$18.34/hr
90th percentile$44,380$21.34/hr
Jobs in this metro2,460Location quotient 1.40 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here22% belowAll-jobs median $46,780
Against Florida2% aboveStatewide median $35,920
Against the U.S.4% 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.

Take-home payWhat $37,000 a year leaves after tax in FloridaFederal tax, FICA and Florida withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$18 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $37,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $37,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Florida publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Florida.

Food preparation worker salary in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL after taxes

$36,560
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,560
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,556After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,630Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,214Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,207 / yr
Florida state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,797 / yr
Customize deductions in full Florida calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What food preparation workers earned in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (FL)
10th percentile$13.61/hr$2,359$28,310$24,923
25th percentile$14.16/hr$2,454$29,450$25,843
MedianMedian$17.58/hr$3,047$36,560$31,556
75th percentile$18.34/hr$3,179$38,150$32,834
90th percentile$21.34/hr$3,698$44,380$37,839

Is $36,560 a good salary in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

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$76,107Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)102.32.3% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household48%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 Florida metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area was $36,560 in May 2025, about $3,047 a month or $17.58 an hour. Statewide, the Florida median for this job is $35,920, so the metro pays 2% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL was $17.58 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.61 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.34.

How many food preparation workers work in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

BLS estimated 2,460 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 8.1 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 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL run from $28,310 at the 10th percentile to $29,450 at the 25th, $38,150 at the 75th, and $44,380 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

On a median gross salary of $36,560, an estimated $31,556 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,214 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Florida in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,004 (an effective rate of 13.7%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

On the median annual salary of $36,560, gross monthly income is $3,047. After federal, FICA, and Florida state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,630 per month (or $1,214 every two weeks).

Is $36,560 a good salary in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

At $36,560, the median salary for food preparation workers is 48% of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL median household income ($76,107). It is 22% below the $46,780 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 102.3, so prices here run 2.3% above the U.S. average.