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Dover, DE metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Dover, DE?

In the Dover, DE metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $34,560 a year ($16.62 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 300 of these jobs there. That is 26% below the $46,690 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $31,200 and $39,660; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Delaware tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $28,708 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Dover, DE at a glance

Median salary

$34,560$16.62 per hour · $2,880 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$31,200$15.00/hr
25th percentile$31,800$15.29/hr
75th percentile$37,950$18.25/hr
90th percentile$39,660$19.07/hr
Jobs in this metro300Location quotient 0.76 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here26% belowAll-jobs median $46,690
Against Delaware4% belowStatewide median $35,930
Against the U.S.2% 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 $35,000 a year leaves after tax in DelawareFederal tax, FICA and Delaware withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$17 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $35,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $35,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Delaware publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Delaware.

Food preparation worker salary in Dover, DE after taxes

$34,560
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,560
Net 83%
Fed 6%
DE 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$28,708After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,392Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,104Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,967 / yr
Delaware state income tax$1,241 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,644 / yr
Customize deductions in full Delaware calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Dover, DE, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Dover, DE metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (DE)
10th percentile$15.00/hr$2,600$31,200$26,194
25th percentile$15.29/hr$2,650$31,800$26,643
MedianMedian$16.62/hr$2,880$34,560$28,708
75th percentile$18.25/hr$3,163$37,950$31,243
90th percentile$19.07/hr$3,305$39,660$32,523

Is $34,560 a good salary in Dover, DE?

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$74,477Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)97.52.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household46.4%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 Delaware metros

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

Food preparation worker pay in Dover, DE: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Dover, DE?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Dover, DE metro area was $34,560 in May 2025, about $2,880 a month or $16.62 an hour. Statewide, the Delaware median for this job is $35,930, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Dover, DE?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Dover, DE was $16.62 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $15.00 an hour and one in ten earned more than $19.07.

How many food preparation workers work in Dover, DE?

BLS estimated 300 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 4.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.76 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Dover, DE?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Dover, DE run from $31,200 at the 10th percentile to $31,800 at the 25th, $37,950 at the 75th, and $39,660 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Dover, DE?

On a median gross salary of $34,560, an estimated $28,708 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,104 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Delaware in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,852 (an effective rate of 16.9%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Dover, DE?

On the median annual salary of $34,560, gross monthly income is $2,880. After federal, FICA, and Delaware state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,392 per month (or $1,104 every two weeks).

Is $34,560 a good salary in Dover, DE?

At $34,560, the median salary for food preparation workers is 46.4% of the Dover, DE median household income ($74,477). It is 26% below the $46,690 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 97.5, so prices here run 2.5% below the U.S. average.