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Cleveland, OH metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Cleveland, OH?

In the Cleveland, OH metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $35,360 a year ($17.00 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 4,410 of these jobs there. That is 29% below the $50,140 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $27,890 and $44,310; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Ohio tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,070 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Cleveland, OH at a glance

Median salary

$35,360$17.00 per hour · $2,947 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$27,890$13.41/hr
25th percentile$29,330$14.10/hr
75th percentile$38,320$18.42/hr
90th percentile$44,310$21.30/hr
Jobs in this metro4,410Location quotient 0.74 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here29% belowAll-jobs median $50,140
Against Ohio2% aboveStatewide median $34,530
Against the U.S.about the same asNational median $35,320

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Take-home payWhat $35,000 a year leaves after tax in OhioFederal tax, FICA and Ohio withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$17 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $35,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $35,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Ohio publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Ohio.

Food preparation worker salary in Cleveland, OH after taxes

$35,360
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$35,360
Net 85%
Fed 6%
OH 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,070After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,506Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,157Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,063 / yr
Ohio state income tax$522 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,705 / yr
Customize deductions in full Ohio calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Cleveland, OH, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Cleveland, OH metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (OH)
10th percentile$13.41/hr$2,324$27,890$24,577
25th percentile$14.10/hr$2,444$29,330$25,390
MedianMedian$17.00/hr$2,947$35,360$30,070
75th percentile$18.42/hr$3,193$38,320$32,367
90th percentile$21.30/hr$3,693$44,310$37,008

Is $35,360 a good salary in Cleveland, OH?

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$70,678Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.96.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household50%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 Ohio metros

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

Food preparation worker pay in Cleveland, OH: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Cleveland, OH?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Cleveland, OH metro area was $35,360 in May 2025, about $2,947 a month or $17.00 an hour. Statewide, the Ohio median for this job is $34,530, so the metro pays 2% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Cleveland, OH?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Cleveland, OH was $17.00 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.41 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.30.

How many food preparation workers work in Cleveland, OH?

BLS estimated 4,410 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 4.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.74 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Cleveland, OH?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Cleveland, OH run from $27,890 at the 10th percentile to $29,330 at the 25th, $38,320 at the 75th, and $44,310 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Cleveland, OH?

On a median gross salary of $35,360, an estimated $30,070 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,157 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Ohio in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,290 (an effective rate of 15%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Cleveland, OH?

On the median annual salary of $35,360, gross monthly income is $2,947. After federal, FICA, and Ohio state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,506 per month (or $1,157 every two weeks).

Is $35,360 a good salary in Cleveland, OH?

At $35,360, the median salary for food preparation workers is 50% of the Cleveland, OH median household income ($70,678). It is 29% below the $50,140 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.9, so prices here run 6.1% below the U.S. average.