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Great Falls, MT metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Great Falls, MT?

In the Great Falls, MT metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $30,490 a year ($14.66 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 250 of these jobs there. That is 34% below the $46,510 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $24,960 and $36,790; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Montana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $26,002 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Great Falls, MT at a glance

Median salary

$30,490$14.66 per hour · $2,541 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$24,960$12.00/hr
25th percentile$26,210$12.60/hr
75th percentile$36,010$17.31/hr
90th percentile$36,790$17.69/hr
Jobs in this metro250Location quotient 1.18 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here34% belowAll-jobs median $46,510
Against Montana10% belowStatewide median $33,860
Against the U.S.14% 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.

Take-home payWhat $30,000 a year leaves after tax in MontanaFederal tax, FICA and Montana 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 $30,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $30,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Montana publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Montana.

Food preparation worker salary in Great Falls, MT after taxes

$30,490
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$30,490
Net 85%
Fed 5%
MT 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$26,002After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,167Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,000Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,479 / yr
Montana state income tax$676 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,332 / yr
Customize deductions in full Montana calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Great Falls, MT, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Great Falls, MT metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MT)
10th percentile$12.00/hr$2,080$24,960$21,748
25th percentile$12.60/hr$2,184$26,210$22,719
MedianMedian$14.66/hr$2,541$30,490$26,002
75th percentile$17.31/hr$3,001$36,010$30,178
90th percentile$17.69/hr$3,066$36,790$30,768

Is $30,490 a good salary in Great Falls, MT?

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$67,690Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.83.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household45%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 Montana metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Great Falls, MT. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Great Falls, MT: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Great Falls, MT?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Great Falls, MT metro area was $30,490 in May 2025, about $2,541 a month or $14.66 an hour. Statewide, the Montana median for this job is $33,860, so the metro pays 10% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Great Falls, MT?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Great Falls, MT was $14.66 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.00 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.69.

How many food preparation workers work in Great Falls, MT?

BLS estimated 250 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.18 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Great Falls, MT?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Great Falls, MT run from $24,960 at the 10th percentile to $26,210 at the 25th, $36,010 at the 75th, and $36,790 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Great Falls, MT?

On a median gross salary of $30,490, an estimated $26,002 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,000 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Montana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,488 (an effective rate of 14.7%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Great Falls, MT?

On the median annual salary of $30,490, gross monthly income is $2,541. After federal, FICA, and Montana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,167 per month (or $1,000 every two weeks).

Is $30,490 a good salary in Great Falls, MT?

At $30,490, the median salary for food preparation workers is 45% of the Great Falls, MT median household income ($67,690). It is 34% below the $46,510 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.8, so prices here run 3.2% below the U.S. average.