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Cleveland, TN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

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

In the Cleveland, TN metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $25,430 a year ($12.23 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 280 of these jobs there. That is 37% below the $40,230 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $21,570 and $35,560; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Tennessee tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $22,552 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Cleveland, TN at a glance

Median salary

$25,430$12.23 per hour · $2,119 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$21,570$10.37/hr
25th percentile$21,680$10.42/hr
75th percentile$33,280$16.00/hr
90th percentile$35,560$17.10/hr
Jobs in this metro280Location quotient 1.11 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here37% belowAll-jobs median $40,230
Against Tennessee11% belowStatewide median $28,700
Against the U.S.28% 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 $25,000 a year leaves after tax in TennesseeFederal tax, FICA and Tennessee withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$12 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $25,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $25,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Tennessee publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Tennessee.

Food preparation worker salary in Cleveland, TN after taxes

$25,430
$15,000$55,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$25,430
Net 89%
Fed 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$22,552After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,879Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$867Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate11.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$933 / yr
Tennessee state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$1,945 / yr
Customize deductions in full Tennessee calculator

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

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Cleveland, TN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (TN)
10th percentile$10.37/hr$1,798$21,570$19,373
25th percentile$10.42/hr$1,807$21,680$19,463
MedianMedian$12.23/hr$2,119$25,430$22,552
75th percentile$16.00/hr$2,773$33,280$28,920
90th percentile$17.10/hr$2,963$35,560$30,752

Is $25,430 a good salary in Cleveland, TN?

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$66,135Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.111.9% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household38.5%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 Tennessee metros

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

Food preparation worker pay in Cleveland, TN: common questions

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

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Cleveland, TN metro area was $25,430 in May 2025, about $2,119 a month or $12.23 an hour. Statewide, the Tennessee median for this job is $28,700, so the metro pays 11% below the state.

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

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Cleveland, TN was $12.23 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.37 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.10.

How many food preparation workers work in Cleveland, TN?

BLS estimated 280 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.11 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

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

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Cleveland, TN run from $21,570 at the 10th percentile to $21,680 at the 25th, $33,280 at the 75th, and $35,560 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, TN?

On a median gross salary of $25,430, an estimated $22,552 lands in net take-home pay per year ($867 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Tennessee in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $2,878 (an effective rate of 11.3%).

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

On the median annual salary of $25,430, gross monthly income is $2,119. After federal, FICA, and Tennessee state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,879 per month (or $867 every two weeks).

Is $25,430 a good salary in Cleveland, TN?

At $25,430, the median salary for food preparation workers is 38.5% of the Cleveland, TN median household income ($66,135). It is 37% below the $40,230 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.1, so prices here run 11.9% below the U.S. average.