Fresno, CA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Fresno, CA?

In the Fresno, CA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $37,730 a year ($18.14 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,090 of these jobs there. That is 20% below the $46,910 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $34,320 and $48,880; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and California tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $32,004 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Fresno, CA at a glance

Median salary

$37,730$18.14 per hour · $3,144 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$34,320$16.50/hr
25th percentile$34,780$16.72/hr
75th percentile$43,960$21.13/hr
90th percentile$48,880$23.50/hr
Jobs in this metro2,090Location quotient 0.76 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here20% belowAll-jobs median $46,910
Against California4% belowStatewide median $39,350
Against the U.S.7% 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.

Food preparation worker salary in Fresno, CA after taxes

$37,730
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,730
Net 85%
Fed 6%
CA 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$32,004After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,667Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,231Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,348 / yr
California state income tax$492 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,886 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Fresno, CA, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Fresno, CA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CA)
10th percentile$16.50/hr$2,860$34,320$29,401
25th percentile$16.72/hr$2,898$34,780$29,752
MedianMedian$18.14/hr$3,144$37,730$32,004
75th percentile$21.13/hr$3,663$43,960$36,761
90th percentile$23.50/hr$4,073$48,880$40,483

Is $37,730 a good salary in Fresno, CA?

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$74,468Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)102.22.2% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household50.7%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Fresno, CA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Fresno, CA?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Fresno, CA metro area was $37,730 in May 2025, about $3,144 a month or $18.14 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $39,350, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Fresno, CA?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Fresno, CA was $18.14 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.50 an hour and one in ten earned more than $23.50.

How many food preparation workers work in Fresno, CA?

BLS estimated 2,090 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 Fresno, CA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Fresno, CA run from $34,320 at the 10th percentile to $34,780 at the 25th, $43,960 at the 75th, and $48,880 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Fresno, CA?

On a median gross salary of $37,730, an estimated $32,004 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,231 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,726 (an effective rate of 15.2%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Fresno, CA?

On the median annual salary of $37,730, gross monthly income is $3,144. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,667 per month (or $1,231 every two weeks).

Is $37,730 a good salary in Fresno, CA?

At $37,730, the median salary for food preparation workers is 50.7% of the Fresno, CA median household income ($74,468). It is 20% below the $46,910 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 102.2, so prices here run 2.2% above the U.S. average.