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Fort Wayne, IN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Fort Wayne, IN?

In the Fort Wayne, IN metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $30,850 a year ($14.83 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 900 of these jobs there. That is 35% below the $47,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $21,800 and $44,000; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Indiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $26,087 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Fort Wayne, IN at a glance

Median salary

$30,850$14.83 per hour · $2,571 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$21,800$10.48/hr
25th percentile$27,250$13.10/hr
75th percentile$36,510$17.56/hr
90th percentile$44,000$21.16/hr
Jobs in this metro900Location quotient 0.69 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here35% belowAll-jobs median $47,700
Against Indiana4% aboveStatewide median $29,700
Against the U.S.13% 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 $31,000 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$15 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $31,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $31,000 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 Fort Wayne, IN after taxes

$30,850
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$30,850
Net 85%
Fed 5%
IN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$26,087After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,174Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,003Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,522 / yr
Indiana state income tax$881 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,360 / yr
Customize deductions in full Indiana calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Fort Wayne, IN, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Fort Wayne, IN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IN)
10th percentile$10.48/hr$1,817$21,800$18,949
25th percentile$13.10/hr$2,271$27,250$23,276
MedianMedian$14.83/hr$2,571$30,850$26,087
75th percentile$17.56/hr$3,043$36,510$30,468
90th percentile$21.16/hr$3,667$44,000$36,266

Is $30,850 a good salary in Fort Wayne, 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$71,213Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.67.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household43.3%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 Fort Wayne, IN. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Fort Wayne, IN: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Fort Wayne, IN?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Fort Wayne, IN metro area was $30,850 in May 2025, about $2,571 a month or $14.83 an hour. Statewide, the Indiana median for this job is $29,700, so the metro pays 4% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Fort Wayne, IN?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Fort Wayne, IN was $14.83 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.48 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.16.

How many food preparation workers work in Fort Wayne, IN?

BLS estimated 900 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 4.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.69 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 Wayne, IN?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Fort Wayne, IN run from $21,800 at the 10th percentile to $27,250 at the 25th, $36,510 at the 75th, and $44,000 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 Wayne, IN?

On a median gross salary of $30,850, an estimated $26,087 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,003 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Indiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,763 (an effective rate of 15.4%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Fort Wayne, IN?

On the median annual salary of $30,850, gross monthly income is $2,571. After federal, FICA, and Indiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,174 per month (or $1,003 every two weeks).

Is $30,850 a good salary in Fort Wayne, IN?

At $30,850, the median salary for food preparation workers is 43.3% of the Fort Wayne, IN median household income ($71,213). It is 35% below the $47,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.6, so prices here run 7.4% below the U.S. average.