Food preparation worker pay in Chattanooga, TN at a glance
Median salary
$30,300$14.57 per hour · $2,525 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Food preparation worker salary in Chattanooga, TN after taxes
Food preparation workers pay range in Chattanooga, TN, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Chattanooga, TN-GA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (GA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $10.78/hr | $1,869 | $22,430 | $19,710 |
| 25th percentile | $11.63/hr | $2,015 | $24,180 | $21,064 |
| MedianMedian | $14.57/hr | $2,525 | $30,300 | $25,763 |
| 75th percentile | $17.39/hr | $3,014 | $36,170 | $30,186 |
| 90th percentile | $18.79/hr | $3,256 | $39,070 | $32,372 |
Is $30,300 a good salary in Chattanooga, TN?
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 Georgia and across the U.S.
The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.
Food preparation worker pay in Chattanooga, TN: common questions
What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area was $30,300 in May 2025, about $2,525 a month or $14.57 an hour. Statewide, the Georgia median for this job is $35,250, so the metro pays 14% below the state.
What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Chattanooga, TN-GA was $14.57 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.78 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.79.
How many food preparation workers work in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
BLS estimated 1,780 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.15 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Chattanooga, TN-GA run from $22,430 at the 10th percentile to $24,180 at the 25th, $36,170 at the 75th, and $39,070 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
On a median gross salary of $30,300, an estimated $25,763 lands in net take-home pay per year ($991 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Georgia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,537 (an effective rate of 15%).
How much do food preparation workers make per month in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
On the median annual salary of $30,300, gross monthly income is $2,525. After federal, FICA, and Georgia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,147 per month (or $991 every two weeks).
Is $30,300 a good salary in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
At $30,300, the median salary for food preparation workers is 42% of the Chattanooga, TN-GA median household income ($72,161). It is 35% below the $46,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.5, so prices here run 8.5% below the U.S. average.