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Eau Claire, WI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Eau Claire, WI?

In the Eau Claire, WI metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $33,680 a year ($16.19 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 580 of these jobs there. That is 30% below the $48,100 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $25,860 and $43,390; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Wisconsin tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $28,469 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Eau Claire, WI at a glance

Median salary

$33,680$16.19 per hour · $2,807 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$25,860$12.43/hr
25th percentile$28,020$13.47/hr
75th percentile$37,160$17.87/hr
90th percentile$43,390$20.86/hr
Jobs in this metro580Location quotient 1.16 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here30% belowAll-jobs median $48,100
Against Wisconsin1% belowStatewide median $34,070
Against the U.S.5% 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 $34,000 a year leaves after tax in WisconsinFederal tax, FICA and Wisconsin 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 $34,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $34,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Wisconsin publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Wisconsin.

Food preparation worker salary in Eau Claire, WI after taxes

$33,680
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$33,680
Net 85%
Fed 6%
WI 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$28,469After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,372Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,095Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,862 / yr
Wisconsin state income tax$772 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,577 / yr
Customize deductions in full Wisconsin calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Eau Claire, WI, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Eau Claire, WI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WI)
10th percentile$12.43/hr$2,155$25,860$22,490
25th percentile$13.47/hr$2,335$28,020$24,184
MedianMedian$16.19/hr$2,807$33,680$28,469
75th percentile$17.87/hr$3,097$37,160$31,094
90th percentile$20.86/hr$3,616$43,390$35,793

Is $33,680 a good salary in Eau Claire, WI?

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$74,595Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.87.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household45.2%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 Wisconsin metros

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

Food preparation worker pay in Eau Claire, WI: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Eau Claire, WI?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Eau Claire, WI metro area was $33,680 in May 2025, about $2,807 a month or $16.19 an hour. Statewide, the Wisconsin median for this job is $34,070, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Eau Claire, WI?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Eau Claire, WI was $16.19 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.43 an hour and one in ten earned more than $20.86.

How many food preparation workers work in Eau Claire, WI?

BLS estimated 580 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.16 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Eau Claire, WI?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Eau Claire, WI run from $25,860 at the 10th percentile to $28,020 at the 25th, $37,160 at the 75th, and $43,390 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Eau Claire, WI?

On a median gross salary of $33,680, an estimated $28,469 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,095 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Wisconsin in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,211 (an effective rate of 15.5%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Eau Claire, WI?

On the median annual salary of $33,680, gross monthly income is $2,807. After federal, FICA, and Wisconsin state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,372 per month (or $1,095 every two weeks).

Is $33,680 a good salary in Eau Claire, WI?

At $33,680, the median salary for food preparation workers is 45.2% of the Eau Claire, WI median household income ($74,595). It is 30% below the $48,100 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.8, so prices here run 7.2% below the U.S. average.