Columbus, IN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Columbus, IN?

In the Columbus, IN metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $32,150 a year ($15.46 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 200 of these jobs there. That is 34% below the $48,470 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $24,030 and $38,480; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Indiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $27,094 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Columbus, IN at a glance

Median salary

$32,150$15.46 per hour · $2,679 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$24,030$11.55/hr
25th percentile$27,960$13.44/hr
75th percentile$35,690$17.16/hr
90th percentile$38,480$18.50/hr
Jobs in this metro200Location quotient 0.68 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here34% belowAll-jobs median $48,470
Against Indiana8% aboveStatewide median $29,700
Against the U.S.9% belowNational 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.

Food preparation worker salary in Columbus, IN after taxes

$32,150
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$32,150
Net 84%
Fed 5%
IN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$27,094After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,258Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,042Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,678 / yr
Indiana state income tax$919 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,459 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Columbus, IN, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Columbus, IN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IN)
10th percentile$11.55/hr$2,003$24,030$20,719
25th percentile$13.44/hr$2,330$27,960$23,840
MedianMedian$15.46/hr$2,679$32,150$27,094
75th percentile$17.16/hr$2,974$35,690$29,834
90th percentile$18.50/hr$3,207$38,480$31,993

Is $32,150 a good salary in Columbus, IN?

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$79,901Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.07% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household40.2%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Columbus, IN: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Columbus, IN?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Columbus, IN metro area was $32,150 in May 2025, about $2,679 a month or $15.46 an hour. Statewide, the Indiana median for this job is $29,700, so the metro pays 8% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Columbus, IN?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Columbus, IN was $15.46 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $11.55 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.50.

How many food preparation workers work in Columbus, IN?

BLS estimated 200 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 3.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.68 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Columbus, IN?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Columbus, IN run from $24,030 at the 10th percentile to $27,960 at the 25th, $35,690 at the 75th, and $38,480 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Columbus, IN?

On a median gross salary of $32,150, an estimated $27,094 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,042 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Indiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,056 (an effective rate of 15.7%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Columbus, IN?

On the median annual salary of $32,150, gross monthly income is $2,679. After federal, FICA, and Indiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,258 per month (or $1,042 every two weeks).

Is $32,150 a good salary in Columbus, IN?

At $32,150, the median salary for food preparation workers is 40.2% of the Columbus, IN median household income ($79,901). It is 34% below the $48,470 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.0, so prices here run 7% below the U.S. average.