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Elkhart-Goshen, IN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Elkhart-Goshen, IN?

In the Elkhart-Goshen, IN metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $33,640 a year ($16.17 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 660 of these jobs there. That is 30% below the $48,070 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $27,280 and $37,650; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Indiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $28,247 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Elkhart-Goshen, IN at a glance

Median salary

$33,640$16.17 per hour · $2,803 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$27,280$13.11/hr
25th percentile$29,450$14.16/hr
75th percentile$36,410$17.50/hr
90th percentile$37,650$18.10/hr
Jobs in this metro660Location quotient 0.90 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here30% belowAll-jobs median $48,070
Against Indiana13% aboveStatewide median $29,700
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 IndianaFederal tax, FICA and Indiana 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 Indiana publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Indiana.

Food preparation worker salary in Elkhart-Goshen, IN after taxes

$33,640
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$33,640
Net 84%
Fed 6%
IN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$28,247After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,354Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,086Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,857 / yr
Indiana state income tax$963 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,573 / yr
Customize deductions in full Indiana calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Elkhart-Goshen, IN, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Elkhart-Goshen, IN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IN)
10th percentile$13.11/hr$2,273$27,280$23,300
25th percentile$14.16/hr$2,454$29,450$25,004
MedianMedian$16.17/hr$2,803$33,640$28,247
75th percentile$17.50/hr$3,034$36,410$30,391
90th percentile$18.10/hr$3,138$37,650$31,351

Is $33,640 a good salary in Elkhart-Goshen, IN?

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$68,561Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)90.39.7% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household49.1%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 Indiana metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Elkhart-Goshen, IN. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Elkhart-Goshen, IN: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Elkhart-Goshen, IN?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Elkhart-Goshen, IN metro area was $33,640 in May 2025, about $2,803 a month or $16.17 an hour. Statewide, the Indiana median for this job is $29,700, so the metro pays 13% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Elkhart-Goshen, IN?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Elkhart-Goshen, IN was $16.17 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.11 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.10.

How many food preparation workers work in Elkhart-Goshen, IN?

BLS estimated 660 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.90 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Elkhart-Goshen, IN?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Elkhart-Goshen, IN run from $27,280 at the 10th percentile to $29,450 at the 25th, $36,410 at the 75th, and $37,650 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Elkhart-Goshen, IN?

On a median gross salary of $33,640, an estimated $28,247 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,086 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Indiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,393 (an effective rate of 16%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Elkhart-Goshen, IN?

On the median annual salary of $33,640, gross monthly income is $2,803. After federal, FICA, and Indiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,354 per month (or $1,086 every two weeks).

Is $33,640 a good salary in Elkhart-Goshen, IN?

At $33,640, the median salary for food preparation workers is 49.1% of the Elkhart-Goshen, IN median household income ($68,561). It is 30% below the $48,070 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 90.3, so prices here run 9.7% below the U.S. average.