Fairbanks-College, AK metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Fairbanks-College, AK?

In the Fairbanks-College, AK metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $34,530 a year ($16.60 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 390 of these jobs there. That is 44% below the $61,810 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $31,300 and $42,730; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Alaska tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,925 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Fairbanks-College, AK at a glance

Median salary

$34,530$16.60 per hour · $2,878 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$31,300$15.05/hr
25th percentile$34,070$16.38/hr
75th percentile$38,540$18.53/hr
90th percentile$42,730$20.55/hr
Jobs in this metro390Location quotient 1.86 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here44% belowAll-jobs median $61,810
Against Alaska3% belowStatewide median $35,720
Against the U.S.2% 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 Fairbanks-College, AK after taxes

$34,530
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,530
Net 87%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,925After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,494Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,151Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,964 / yr
Alaska state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,642 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Fairbanks-College, AK, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Fairbanks-College, AK metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AK)
10th percentile$15.05/hr$2,608$31,300$27,330
25th percentile$16.38/hr$2,839$34,070$29,555
MedianMedian$16.60/hr$2,878$34,530$29,925
75th percentile$18.53/hr$3,212$38,540$33,147
90th percentile$20.55/hr$3,561$42,730$36,514

Is $34,530 a good salary in Fairbanks-College, AK?

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$88,267Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)103.23.2% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household39.1%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Fairbanks-College, AK: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Fairbanks-College, AK?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Fairbanks-College, AK metro area was $34,530 in May 2025, about $2,878 a month or $16.60 an hour. Statewide, the Alaska median for this job is $35,720, so the metro pays 3% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Fairbanks-College, AK?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Fairbanks-College, AK was $16.60 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $15.05 an hour and one in ten earned more than $20.55.

How many food preparation workers work in Fairbanks-College, AK?

BLS estimated 390 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 10.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.86 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Fairbanks-College, AK?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Fairbanks-College, AK run from $31,300 at the 10th percentile to $34,070 at the 25th, $38,540 at the 75th, and $42,730 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Fairbanks-College, AK?

On a median gross salary of $34,530, an estimated $29,925 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,151 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Alaska in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,605 (an effective rate of 13.3%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Fairbanks-College, AK?

On the median annual salary of $34,530, gross monthly income is $2,878. After federal, FICA, and Alaska state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,494 per month (or $1,151 every two weeks).

Is $34,530 a good salary in Fairbanks-College, AK?

At $34,530, the median salary for food preparation workers is 39.1% of the Fairbanks-College, AK median household income ($88,267). It is 44% below the $61,810 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 103.2, so prices here run 3.2% above the U.S. average.