EN

Language

Search
CostAnswer

Explore

Language

MethodologyAbout

Decatur, IL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Decatur, IL?

In the Decatur, IL metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $33,450 a year ($16.08 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 35% below the $51,290 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $31,200 and $37,810; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Illinois tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $27,546 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Decatur, IL at a glance

Median salary

$33,450$16.08 per hour · $2,788 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$31,200$15.00/hr
25th percentile$31,200$15.00/hr
75th percentile$36,190$17.40/hr
90th percentile$37,810$18.18/hr
Jobs in this metro200Location quotient 0.78 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here35% belowAll-jobs median $51,290
Against Illinois4% belowStatewide median $34,850
Against the U.S.5% 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.

Take-home payWhat $33,000 a year leaves after tax in IllinoisFederal tax, FICA and Illinois withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$16 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $33,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $33,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Illinois publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Illinois.

Food preparation worker salary in Decatur, IL after taxes

$33,450
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$33,450
Net 82%
Fed 5%
IL 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$27,546After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,296Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,059Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,834 / yr
Illinois state income tax$1,511 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,559 / yr
Customize deductions in full Illinois calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Decatur, IL, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Decatur, IL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IL)
10th percentile$15.00/hr$2,600$31,200$25,850
25th percentile$15.00/hr$2,600$31,200$25,850
MedianMedian$16.08/hr$2,788$33,450$27,546
75th percentile$17.40/hr$3,016$36,190$29,612
90th percentile$18.18/hr$3,151$37,810$30,834

Is $33,450 a good salary in Decatur, IL?

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$62,666Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.411.6% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household53.4%of area median income

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

Compare markets

Food preparation workers pay in other Illinois metros

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

Food preparation worker pay in Decatur, IL: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Decatur, IL?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Decatur, IL metro area was $33,450 in May 2025, about $2,788 a month or $16.08 an hour. Statewide, the Illinois median for this job is $34,850, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Decatur, IL?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Decatur, IL was $16.08 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $15.00 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.18.

How many food preparation workers work in Decatur, IL?

BLS estimated 200 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 4.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.78 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Decatur, IL?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Decatur, IL run from $31,200 at the 10th percentile to $31,200 at the 25th, $36,190 at the 75th, and $37,810 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Decatur, IL?

On a median gross salary of $33,450, an estimated $27,546 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,059 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Illinois in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,904 (an effective rate of 17.6%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Decatur, IL?

On the median annual salary of $33,450, gross monthly income is $2,788. After federal, FICA, and Illinois state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,296 per month (or $1,059 every two weeks).

Is $33,450 a good salary in Decatur, IL?

At $33,450, the median salary for food preparation workers is 53.4% of the Decatur, IL median household income ($62,666). It is 35% below the $51,290 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.4, so prices here run 11.6% below the U.S. average.