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Hattiesburg, MS metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Hattiesburg, MS?

In the Hattiesburg, MS metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $28,270 a year ($13.59 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 620 of these jobs there. That is 25% below the $37,750 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $19,790 and $36,100; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Mississippi tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $24,492 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Hattiesburg, MS at a glance

Median salary

$28,270$13.59 per hour · $2,356 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$19,790$9.51/hr
25th percentile$22,100$10.63/hr
75th percentile$36,100$17.36/hr
90th percentile$36,100$17.36/hr
Jobs in this metro620Location quotient 1.74 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here25% belowAll-jobs median $37,750
Against Mississippi8% aboveStatewide median $26,240
Against the U.S.20% 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 $28,000 a year leaves after tax in MississippiFederal tax, FICA and Mississippi withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$14 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $28,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $28,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Mississippi publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Mississippi.

Food preparation worker salary in Hattiesburg, MS after taxes

$28,270
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$28,270
Net 87%
Fed 4%
MS 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$24,492After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,041Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$942Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,217 / yr
Mississippi state income tax$399 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,163 / yr
Customize deductions in full Mississippi calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Hattiesburg, MS, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Hattiesburg, MS metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MS)
10th percentile$9.51/hr$1,649$19,790$17,847
25th percentile$10.63/hr$1,842$22,100$19,657
MedianMedian$13.59/hr$2,356$28,270$24,492
75th percentile$17.36/hr$3,008$36,100$30,474
90th percentile$17.36/hr$3,008$36,100$30,474

Is $28,270 a good salary in Hattiesburg, MS?

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$60,285Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)87.612.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household46.9%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 Mississippi metros

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

Food preparation worker pay in Hattiesburg, MS: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Hattiesburg, MS?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Hattiesburg, MS metro area was $28,270 in May 2025, about $2,356 a month or $13.59 an hour. Statewide, the Mississippi median for this job is $26,240, so the metro pays 8% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Hattiesburg, MS?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Hattiesburg, MS was $13.59 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $9.51 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.36.

How many food preparation workers work in Hattiesburg, MS?

BLS estimated 620 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 10.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.74 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Hattiesburg, MS?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Hattiesburg, MS run from $19,790 at the 10th percentile to $22,100 at the 25th, $36,100 at the 75th, and $36,100 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Hattiesburg, MS?

On a median gross salary of $28,270, an estimated $24,492 lands in net take-home pay per year ($942 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Mississippi in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,778 (an effective rate of 13.4%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Hattiesburg, MS?

On the median annual salary of $28,270, gross monthly income is $2,356. After federal, FICA, and Mississippi state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,041 per month (or $942 every two weeks).

Is $28,270 a good salary in Hattiesburg, MS?

At $28,270, the median salary for food preparation workers is 46.9% of the Hattiesburg, MS median household income ($60,285). It is 25% below the $37,750 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 87.6, so prices here run 12.4% below the U.S. average.