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Fort Collins-Loveland, CO metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?

In the Fort Collins-Loveland, CO metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $36,510 a year ($17.55 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 740 of these jobs there. That is 34% below the $55,310 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $30,800 and $46,700; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Colorado tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,618 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO at a glance

Median salary

$36,510$17.55 per hour · $3,043 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$30,800$14.81/hr
25th percentile$33,530$16.12/hr
75th percentile$40,690$19.56/hr
90th percentile$46,700$22.45/hr
Jobs in this metro740Location quotient 0.76 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here34% belowAll-jobs median $55,310
Against Colorado6% belowStatewide median $38,960
Against the U.S.3% aboveNational 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.

Take-home payWhat $37,000 a year leaves after tax in ColoradoFederal tax, FICA and Colorado withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$18 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $37,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $37,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Colorado publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Colorado.

Food preparation worker salary in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO after taxes

$36,510
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,510
Net 84%
Fed 6%
CO 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,618After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,551Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,178Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,201 / yr
Colorado state income tax$898 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,793 / yr
Customize deductions in full Colorado calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Fort Collins-Loveland, CO metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What food preparation workers earned in the Fort Collins-Loveland, CO metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CO)
10th percentile$14.81/hr$2,567$30,800$26,281
25th percentile$16.12/hr$2,794$33,530$28,354
MedianMedian$17.55/hr$3,043$36,510$30,618
75th percentile$19.56/hr$3,391$40,690$33,792
90th percentile$22.45/hr$3,892$46,700$38,357

Is $36,510 a good salary in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?

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$93,765Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)101.11.1% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household38.9%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 Colorado metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Fort Collins-Loveland, CO. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Fort Collins-Loveland, CO metro area was $36,510 in May 2025, about $3,043 a month or $17.55 an hour. Statewide, the Colorado median for this job is $38,960, so the metro pays 6% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO was $17.55 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.81 an hour and one in ten earned more than $22.45.

How many food preparation workers work in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?

BLS estimated 740 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 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO run from $30,800 at the 10th percentile to $33,530 at the 25th, $40,690 at the 75th, and $46,700 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?

On a median gross salary of $36,510, an estimated $30,618 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,178 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Colorado in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,892 (an effective rate of 16.1%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?

On the median annual salary of $36,510, gross monthly income is $3,043. After federal, FICA, and Colorado state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,551 per month (or $1,178 every two weeks).

Is $36,510 a good salary in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?

At $36,510, the median salary for food preparation workers is 38.9% of the Fort Collins-Loveland, CO median household income ($93,765). It is 34% below the $55,310 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 101.1, so prices here run 1.1% above the U.S. average.