Food preparation worker pay in Denver-Aurora, CO at a glance
Median salary
$39,470$18.98 per hour · $3,289 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Food preparation worker salary in Denver-Aurora, CO after taxes
Food preparation workers pay range in Denver-Aurora, CO, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (CO) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $14.81/hr | $2,567 | $30,800 | $26,281 |
| 25th percentile | $17.11/hr | $2,966 | $35,590 | $29,919 |
| MedianMedian | $18.98/hr | $3,289 | $39,470 | $32,866 |
| 75th percentile | $21.58/hr | $3,741 | $44,890 | $36,982 |
| 90th percentile | $23.36/hr | $4,050 | $48,600 | $39,800 |
Is $39,470 a good salary in Denver-Aurora, CO?
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 Colorado and across the U.S.
The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.
Food preparation worker pay in Denver-Aurora, CO: common questions
What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area was $39,470 in May 2025, about $3,289 a month or $18.98 an hour. Statewide, the Colorado median for this job is $38,960, so the metro pays 1% above the state.
What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO was $18.98 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.81 an hour and one in ten earned more than $23.36.
How many food preparation workers work in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
BLS estimated 6,640 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 4.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.72 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO run from $30,800 at the 10th percentile to $35,590 at the 25th, $44,890 at the 75th, and $48,600 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
On a median gross salary of $39,470, an estimated $32,866 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,264 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Colorado in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,604 (an effective rate of 16.7%).
How much do food preparation workers make per month in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
On the median annual salary of $39,470, gross monthly income is $3,289. After federal, FICA, and Colorado state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,739 per month (or $1,264 every two weeks).
Is $39,470 a good salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
At $39,470, the median salary for food preparation workers is 37.3% of the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO median household income ($105,762). It is 37% below the $62,320 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 105.8, so prices here run 5.8% above the U.S. average.