Dothan, AL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Dothan, AL?

In the Dothan, AL metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $26,580 a year ($12.78 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 650 of these jobs there. That is 30% below the $38,170 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $20,030 and $35,250; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Alabama tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $22,485 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Dothan, AL at a glance

Median salary

$26,580$12.78 per hour · $2,215 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$20,030$9.63/hr
25th percentile$20,940$10.07/hr
75th percentile$30,570$14.70/hr
90th percentile$35,250$16.95/hr
Jobs in this metro650Location quotient 1.87 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here30% belowAll-jobs median $38,170
Against Alabama5% belowStatewide median $27,930
Against the U.S.25% 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 Dothan, AL after taxes

$26,580
$15,000$55,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$26,580
Net 85%
Fed 4%
AL 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$22,485After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,874Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$865Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,048 / yr
Alabama state income tax$1,014 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,033 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Dothan, AL, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Dothan, AL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AL)
10th percentile$9.63/hr$1,669$20,030$17,388
25th percentile$10.07/hr$1,745$20,940$18,096
MedianMedian$12.78/hr$2,215$26,580$22,485
75th percentile$14.70/hr$2,548$30,570$25,541
90th percentile$16.95/hr$2,938$35,250$29,085

Is $26,580 a good salary in Dothan, AL?

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$57,791Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)83.816.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household46%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Dothan, AL: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Dothan, AL?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Dothan, AL metro area was $26,580 in May 2025, about $2,215 a month or $12.78 an hour. Statewide, the Alabama median for this job is $27,930, so the metro pays 5% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Dothan, AL?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Dothan, AL was $12.78 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $9.63 an hour and one in ten earned more than $16.95.

How many food preparation workers work in Dothan, AL?

BLS estimated 650 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 10.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.87 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Dothan, AL?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Dothan, AL run from $20,030 at the 10th percentile to $20,940 at the 25th, $30,570 at the 75th, and $35,250 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Dothan, AL?

On a median gross salary of $26,580, an estimated $22,485 lands in net take-home pay per year ($865 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Alabama in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,095 (an effective rate of 15.4%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Dothan, AL?

On the median annual salary of $26,580, gross monthly income is $2,215. After federal, FICA, and Alabama state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,874 per month (or $865 every two weeks).

Is $26,580 a good salary in Dothan, AL?

At $26,580, the median salary for food preparation workers is 46% of the Dothan, AL median household income ($57,791). It is 30% below the $38,170 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 83.8, so prices here run 16.2% below the U.S. average.