Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI?

In the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $31,920 a year ($15.35 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,970 of these jobs there. That is 33% below the $47,570 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $26,590 and $41,130; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Michigan tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $26,722 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI at a glance

Median salary

$31,920$15.35 per hour · $2,660 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$26,590$12.79/hr
25th percentile$27,620$13.28/hr
75th percentile$36,540$17.57/hr
90th percentile$41,130$19.78/hr
Jobs in this metro1,970Location quotient 0.57 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here33% belowAll-jobs median $47,570
Against Michigan2% aboveStatewide median $31,180
Against the U.S.10% 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI after taxes

$31,920
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$31,920
Net 84%
Fed 5%
MI 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$26,722After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,227Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,028Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,650 / yr
Michigan state income tax$1,106 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,442 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What food preparation workers earned in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MI)
10th percentile$12.79/hr$2,216$26,590$22,628
25th percentile$13.28/hr$2,302$27,620$23,432
MedianMedian$15.35/hr$2,660$31,920$26,722
75th percentile$17.57/hr$3,045$36,540$30,238
90th percentile$19.78/hr$3,428$41,130$33,731

Is $31,920 a good salary in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI?

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$82,874Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)95.54.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household38.5%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area was $31,920 in May 2025, about $2,660 a month or $15.35 an hour. Statewide, the Michigan median for this job is $31,180, so the metro pays 2% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI was $15.35 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.79 an hour and one in ten earned more than $19.78.

How many food preparation workers work in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

BLS estimated 1,970 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 3.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.57 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI run from $26,590 at the 10th percentile to $27,620 at the 25th, $36,540 at the 75th, and $41,130 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

On a median gross salary of $31,920, an estimated $26,722 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,028 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Michigan in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,198 (an effective rate of 16.3%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

On the median annual salary of $31,920, gross monthly income is $2,660. After federal, FICA, and Michigan state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,227 per month (or $1,028 every two weeks).

Is $31,920 a good salary in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

At $31,920, the median salary for food preparation workers is 38.5% of the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI median household income ($82,874). It is 33% below the $47,570 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 95.5, so prices here run 4.5% below the U.S. average.